Abstract
Arterial blood gas tension and pulmonary resistance were measured in dogs with surgically created (A) nasal, and (B) laryngeal obstruction. Preobstruction mean values were obtained in all parameters for normal control data.
Postobstruction measurements were made, serially, over a period ranging from three days to to three months.
Changing the dogs from nose to mouth breathers resulted in significant adverse changes, in laryngeal resistance, especially marked in the expiratory phase, decreased PO2 and retention of PCO2 as well as some change in pulmonary resistance.
Laryngeal obstruction resulted in significant pre- and post-obstruction differences in pressure-flow relation in the larynx, k1 and k2 values and arterial hypoxemia. Results suggested some anatomic and physiologic changes occurring in the lower airway as a result of marked nasal and partial laryngeal obstruction.
