Abstract
Tests of pulmonary function, especially, ventilatory tests, were performed in cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, in which collapse procedures or pulmonary excisions were conducted, and irreversible lungs after pneumothorax were also examined. Results were as follows Both the inspiratory and the exspiratory reserve volumes decreased remarkably after operation. As hematom and pain subsequent to operation disappeared, these decreases recovered gradually. It should be noted that larger pulmonary lesions resulted in worse pulmonary functions. Functional changes after segmental excision were not due to deformation as in case of thoracoplasty. Respiratory reserve volume and inspiratory reserve volume reduced markedly after segmental excision, however, their recovery began very soon, and since decrease of the vital capacity was slight, ventilation velocity index increased very litttle. Residual air also increased a little, however, intrapulmonary mixture of gases did not change. It was remarkably that the cases in which 1 to 2 segmental resections were carried out, did not have the trouble of emphysem subsequent to operation.
Cases that developed irreversible lung showed great decrease of vital capacity, of inspiratory reserve volume and of exspiratory reserve volume. They were due hydrothorax, pyothorax, reduction of lung parenchym and adhesion of pleura. In these cases, increased residual volume and decreased total capacity resulted in great increase of residual volume index. Cases that had contralateral lesions showed high rate of intrapulmonary mixture of gases. It must be noted that abnormal intrapulmonary gas mixture and increase of residual volume developed emphysem.
