Patency and compliance of pulmonary veins when airway pressure exceeds blood pressure.

Our measurements on cat's lung show that pulmonary veins and venules are not collapsible, but remain open when the alveolar gas pressure (PA) exceeds the local blood pressure (Pv). Their compliance constants show no discontinuity as Pv falls below PA. The capillaries, however, do collapse when PA greater than Pv. The explanation of the patency of the veins when PA greater than Pv is the pulling on the blood vessels by tension in the interalveolar septa. Photomicrographs show that each venule (or vein) is pulled radially by three or more interalveolar septa. Capillary sheets, however, are exposed to gas on the lateral sides and can readily collapse when PA greater than Pv. These facts provide the key to the analysis of pulmonary blood flow in zone 2. The "sluicing" gate, i.e., the site of flow limitation, must be located at the junctions of capillary sheets and the first generation of venules. Further, data on the branching pattern and compliance of small pulmonary veins, which are needed in quantitative analysis of pulmonary circulation, are presented.