Week 8 - Anesthesia for Thoracic Surgery Flashcards
Define Total Lung Capacity (TLC). What is the typical volume?
The gas volume in the lung after a MAXIMUM inspiration
-typical volume = 6-8L
What increases and decreases total lung capacity?
- Can be increased in pts with COPD due to hyperinflation or destruction of alveolar wall and resultant loss of elastic tissue
- Can be decreased in restrictive disorders such as pulmonary fibrosis – decrease is in proportion to the severity of the fibrotic process
Define Residual Volume (RV) of the lungs
The volume of gas remaining in the lung after a MAXIMUM expiratory effort
-typical volume is 2 - 2.5 L
Define Vital Capacity (VC) of the lung
The maximum volume that can be inspired and expired
- difference between TLC and RV
- typical volume is 4-6 L
Define Expiratory Reserve Volume (ERV) of the lungs
Volume of gas that can be expelled beyond the tidal exhalation with a forced exhalation maneuver
Define Functional Residual Capacity (FRC) of the lungs
Volume of gas remaining in the lung after an ordinary expiration
- typical FRC is 3-4 L
- most important for anesthesia
Why do we care so much about FRC in anesthesia?
Preoxygenation
-the higher the concentration of O2 in the FRC the greater amount of apnea time we have before desaturation occurs
What 4 factors is FRC dependent on?
- Age
- Height
- Sex
- Weight
- FRC goes UP with age (loss of elastic lung recoil) and height (more space and volume is greater)
- FRC goes DOWN with Female sex (smaller volumes) and Weight (external pressures on thoracic cavity)
How does the FRC change in pts with COPD or restrictive lung disease?
COPD: FRC is increased – increase in FRC is accelerated in pts with COPD over the normal aging increase due to chronic air trapping and more severe loss of elastic tissue
Restrictive Lung Disease: FRC is decreased – i.e. pulmonary fibrosis
What does Bordy’s equation measure? How do you calculate it?
Oxygen consumption
weight (kg)^3/4 x 10
*for the average 70kg adult, this results in an oxygen consumption of approx 240 mL/min
How can you calculate CO2 production?
CO2 production per min can be calculated as:
oxygen consumption x 0.8
During periods of apnea, PaCO2 will rise _____ mmHg during the 1st min and _______ mmHg each subsequent minute.
During periods of apnea, PaCO2 will rise 6 mmHg during the 1st min and 3 mmHg each subsequent minute.
What is pulmonary perfusion largely dependent on?
Gravity
-West’s 4 lung zones
What are the four main causes of Hypoxemia?
- Hypoventilation
- V/Q Mismatch
- Impaired Diffusion
- Right-to-Left Shunt
What is Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction?
A compensatory mechanism which reduces blood flow in hypoxic lung regions
- major stimulus for this is low alveolar oxygen tension (can be caused by hypoventilation or delivery of gas with a low PO2)
- has a rapid onset over the first 30 min and then a slower increase to a maximal response at approx 2 hrs
What is the benefit of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction?
Decrease in blood flow to hypoxic areas functions to correct right-left shunt (redirects flow)
Decrease in shunt will maximize oxygenation of pulmonary circulation
What can Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction be inhibited by?
- Inhaled anesthetics greater than 1 MAC (Iso shows the least effect, Des shows greatest effect) – relatively weak inhibitors
- Nitro vasodilators
- Extremes of acidosis/alkalosis
- Hypothermia
- Calcium Channel Blockers
*we do NOT want to inhibit
What effects does anesthesia have on respiratory function?
- FRC is decreased by 0.8-1L from supine positioning and 0.4-0.5L from induction of general anesthesia
- Compliance is decreased
- Overall resistance is increased