Accession Number:

ADA411984

Title:

The Multiple Inert Gas Elimination Technique: Current Methodology at the US Army Institute of Surgical Research

Descriptive Note:

Technical rept.

Corporate Author:

ARMY INST OF SURGICAL RESEARCH SAN ANTONIO TX

Personal Author(s):

• Batchinsky, Andriy
• Cancio, Leopoldo C.

Report Date:

2002-01-31

Pagination or Media Count:

73.0

Abstract:

The intrapulmonary causes of hypoxemia include alveolar hypoventilation, ventilation-perfusion VAQ inequality, shunt, and diffusion limitation to oxygen. In the late l970s, P.D. Wagner developed the Multiple Inert Gas Elimination Technique MIGET, a method of assessing VAQ inequality VAQ mismatch and shunt. It can also be used to measure diffusion limitation. In MIGET, the lung is considered as a set of 50 respiratory units, each with a different VAQ ratio. Six inert gases of varying solubility are infused, and the arterial, mixed venous, and expired air concentrations of the gases are measured under steady state conditions. Then, distribution of blood flow and ventilation to each of the 50 compartments is calculated. Although technically challenging, this method can be applied in a wide range of basic and clinical settings, and enables the evaluation of VAQ mismatch in a relatively low-risk, non-invasive fashion. This report describes the MIGET methodology from a technical standpoint, as currently performed at this Institute.

Descriptors:

• *HYPOXIA
• VENTILATION
• OXYGEN
• LUNG
• DIFFUSION
• RESPIRATION
• GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
• BLOOD CIRCULATION
• GAS EXCHANGE(BIOLOGY)

Subject Categories:

• Medicine and Medical Research

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE