Decreased vascular compliance after reimplantation of the left lower lobe in young pigs

The effects of chronic denervation on pulmonary vasculature are not well understood. Three groups of young pigs were prepared: (1) those receiving sham thoracotomy, (2) those having left upper lobectomy alone (innervated left lower lobe), and (3) those receiving left pneumonectomy followed by reimplantation of the left lower lobe (denervated left lower lobe). At 10 weeks after operation, animals were anesthetized and instrumented for study. No changes in baseline pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, cardiac output, or pulmonary vascular resistance were observed. With diversion of the entire cardiac output to the left lung or lobe, however, the group with reimplanted lobes had a significantly higher pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance than the other groups. This may result from chronic denervation of the pulmonary vasculature and receptor upregulation.