Extravascular lung water values in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Using a commercially produced lung water computer, we measured extravascular thermal volume (ETVL) to study changes in extravascular lung water (EVLW) caused by coronary artery bypass surgery. The normal baseline ETVL before anesthesia was 5.47 +/- 1.67 (SD) ml/kg. ETVL was not significantly changed 2 h after surgery but was significantly lower (P less than 0.05) 24 h later in 9 patients. There was no relationship between P(A-a)O2/FIO2 ratios and values of ETV1.