Model simulation of single-breath washout of insoluble gases from dog lungs.

Abstract

Intrapulmonary gas mixing by convection and diffusion is analyzed on the basis of various analog lung models incorporating singly or in combination series inhomogeneity, parallel inhomogeneity, intercompartmental diffusion, sequential inspiration, and sequential expiration. The slope of the alveolar plateau of insoluble gases is used as an indicator for incomplete gas mixing. By use of the models, we have attempted to simulate experimental results obtained in artificially ventilated dog lungs with simultaneous single-breath washout of He and SF6 (Meyer et al., J. Appl. Physiol. 55: 1795-1802, 1983). Sufficient agreement with experimental data is obtained only when diffusion between serial-parallel compartments and sequential expiration are incorporated, the first being mainly responsible for separation of He and SF6, the latter for the slope of the alveolar plateau of these gases. A combined operational model comprising two parallel compartments connected to a mixing compartment, with both convective and diffusive gas transport between the compartments, could account for most of the experimental observations.