Myocardial blood flow was on average 11% lower in the right than in the left ventricle, a relationship that remained unchanged during dextran infusion and hypoxia.
Hydrogen polarography can effectively measure local myocardial blood flow, demonstrating that right ventricular flow is consistently lower than left ventricular flow even during hypoxia-induced hyperemia.
Abstract Local myocardial blood flow was measured in open chest dogs by polarographic recording of hydrogen desaturation with needlrshaped platinum electrodes. A potential of + 0.3 V relative to a KCl saturated calomel elrctrode was applied to the platinum electrode to minimize oxygen sensitivity. The influence of convection in the medium on electrode current was investigated in vitro . Myocardial hydrogen desaturation recorded with tissue electrodes gave acceptable monoexponen‐tial curves in about 80 per cent of all electrode sites. Possible mechanisms of multi‐exponential curves which were discarded are discussed. Good agreement was obtained between two electrodes in one ventricle and between left ventricular and coronary sinus recordings, and arguments are given that hydrogen clearance equals blood flow in the range of 50 to 450 ml/min 100 g. Myocardial blood flow was on the average 11 per cent lower in the right than in the left ventricle (anterior walls), and this relationship was unchanged during dextran infusion and spontaneous variations of myocardial flow. Right/left flow ratio also remained unchanged when myocardial flow was increased up to four times by hypoxia. The flow rise was such as to maintain or even increase the amount of oxygen delivered to the myocardium of both ventricles.
Aukland et al. (Mon,) reported a other. Hypoxia and dextran infusion vs. Baseline was evaluated on Local myocardial blood flow. Myocardial blood flow was on average 11% lower in the right than in the left ventricle, a relationship that remained unchanged during dextran infusion and hypoxia.