The significance of bronchial artery flow in the hilar-stripped lung

This study was designed to determine if division of the bronchial arteries was a significant cause of impaired pulmonary function in the hilar-stripped lung. Ten calves were subjected to hilar stripping of the left lung and division of the bronchus. In five of these animals, the bronchial arteries were divided, and in five the bronchial arteries were mobilized but left intact. Pulmonary blood flow studies were performed 3 days later. There was no significant difference in pulmonary blood flow to the left lung when the two groups of calves were compared. In addition, four of five calves with divided bronchial arteries survived excision of 75% of the opposite lung while three of five animals with intact bronchial arteries survived such a procedure. On the basis of this experimental evidence, we have concluded that division of the bronchial arteries is not a cause of significant impairment of pulmonary function in the hilar-stripped lung.