Ventilatory control during experimental maldistribution of VA/Q in the dog.

To determine the role of the peripheral chemoreceptors in mediating the hyperpnea associated with acute, nonocclusive inflation of a balloon in the main pulmonary artery of the conscious dog, we performed balloon inflations in awake and lightly anesthetized (chloralose-urethan) dogs before and after a) bilateral carotid body resection (CBR), b) cervical vagotomy (V), and c) after both CBR and V. In the intact awake state, balloon inflation increased VE from a mean of 4.91 to 7.16 1/min, usually within 1.5-2.0 min. Mean arterial PO2 decreased from 82 to 71 Torr and end-tidal PCO2 was reduced by 6 Torr. Arterial PCO2 and pH were unchanged in the steady state (as evidenced by discrete blood samples), even in those dogs in which VE increased up to 7.5 1/min. However, an indwelling PCO2 electrode in the femoral artery demonstrated a consistent transient elevation of arterial PCO2 prior to the steady state regulation. Vagotomy alone did not impair the ability to regulate PCO2 during balloon inflation. In some cases with CBR alone, arterial PCO2 was regulated at control levels in the steady state, but the transient increase during the early phase of balloon inflation was more marked (mean increase, 2 Torr). We conclude that the peripheral chemoreceptors are responsible for a significant component of the dynamic ventilatory behavior during this early phase (1.5-2.0 min) of acute maldistribution of VA/Q.