The relation between the pulmonary and bronchial vascular systems

Abstract

Berry, Brailsford and Daly (1931) showed that perfusion of the bronchial vascular system may be carried out ( a ) by way of the posterior bronchial arteries, or ( b ) in conjunction with the thoracic parietes and oesophagus, or with the oesophagus alone, by way of the aorta. They designated their preparations, lung-thorax-oesophagus, lung-oesophagus, or isolated lung according to the extent of the systemic vascular bed perfused. They also demonstrated that no extensive arterial or venous communications exist between the bronchial and pulmonary vascular systems, the capillaries and possibly the smallest arterioles and venules serving as the only means of direct communication. In the same paper are given in detail the operative procedures carried out prior to the perfusion experiments, together with radiographs and photomicrographs depicting the extent of the bronchial vascular bed perfused. Briefly, the method consists in simultaneous perfusion with pumps of the pulmonary artery and aorta or bronchial arteries, with collection of the blood from the left auricle and azygos vein. . It is proposed here to describe the distinctive features of the apparatus and the results of the perfusion experiments.