[Interrelation of cardiodynamics and pulmonary gas exchange in an experimental model of the acute respiratory failure syndrome].

Experiments were made on 30 dogs with lung contusion or injury to the chest wall. Eighteen animals demonstrated acute progressive arterial hypoxemia which proved to be fatal. Apart from the symptoms pointing to the development of gas exchange abnormalities, one could observe progressive impairment of myocardial function. A close correlation was established between pulmonary gas exchange and myocardial contractility. Myocardial dysfunction is regarded as one of the leading components in the pathogenesis of acute respiratory insufficiency in chest injury.