Causes of Depressed Pulmonary Function Following Reimplantation of the Canine Lung

Following reimplantation of the left lung of dogs, serial bronchospirometric studies of the ventilation and oxygen uptake of both lungs were made. The functional effect noted was a moderate initial depression in both oxygen uptake and tidal volume in the reimplanted lung on the day of operation followed by a continued fall for the next two to three weeks. Tidal volume tended to be depressed less than oxygen uptake. After reaching a nadir during the first three weeks, two different patterns were observed. In 14 animals without structural defects, oxygen uptake gradually rose toward control valves, whereas in the group of 28 animals with structural defects oxygen uptake remained depressed.