title: Effect of changing position on arterial oxygenation in a patient with agenesia of the left pulmonary artery.
abstract: The effects of body position (supine, right and left lateral decubitus) on gas exchange were evaluated in a patient with agenesis of the left pulmonary artery, subjected to mechanical ventilation because of adult respiratory distress syndrome. Arterial blood gases were measured 60 min after each of the three positions was attained and showed that lying on the left side (i.e. the side of the impaired lung) produced higher arterial oxygen pressure (68.5 +/- 1.5 mm Hg) than lying on the opposite side (50.0 +/- 1.2 mm Hg); (p < 0.05). No significant differences in mean arterial carbon dioxide pressure were found. In contrast to unilateral lung diseases affecting the parenchyma, the position improving arterial oxygenation was the one in which the healthy lung was uppermost, in our patient with a unilateral perfusion defect.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Semeiotics and Nephrology, University of Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Karrazi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lampronti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Biasin
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zuccali
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olivieri
authors.forename: G U
authors.initials: GU
authors.lastname: Meduri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011187:Posture; D011247:Pregnancy; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000002:abnormalities*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*