| abstract |
A method and apparatus is disclosed for measuring the pulmonary blood flow in a subject by isolating one or more divisions of the respiratory system (4,6,8) with a multi-lumen cuffed endobronchial catheter (1), the divisions (4,6,8) comprising of the complete gas exchange the respiratory system. The multi-lumen cuffed endobronchial catheter (1) includes two or more breathing systems and two or more gas delivery systems (9,10,11) to the isolated divisions of the respiratory system (4,6,8). Each division is ventilated with a separate gas mixture where at least one gas mixture includes an inert soluble gas. The pulmonary exchange of the inert soluble gas and oxygen in each of the divisions (4,6,8) and the end tidal concentration of the inert gas in at least two of the above mentioned divisions is used to calculate the pulmonary blood flow. |