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Gas Transfer Factor. Dr Rod Taylor Consultant Respiratory Physician. Transfer Factor of the Lung Transfer Factor T L CO (USA: Diffusing Capacity D L CO) Transfer Coefficient KCO . Measures how well gas is exchanged from alveolus to haemoglobin. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is
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Gas Transfer Factor Dr Rod Taylor Consultant Respiratory Physician
Transfer Factor of the Lung Transfer Factor TLCO (USA: Diffusing Capacity DLCO) Transfer Coefficient KCO
Measures how well gas is exchanged from alveolus to haemoglobin. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is used as a proxy for Oxygen.
Capillary Basement membrane Capillary endothelium Alveolar epithelium Red cell membrane Alveolar basement membrane Intracellular fluid Fluid layer with surfactant Capillary Alveolus Interstitial space Plasma ALVEOLAR-CAPILLARY MEMBRANE
VOLUMES FLOWS
Well matched!
How to do the Test • Subject exhales down to RV, • and then inhales the test gas • He and CO in known concentrations • Then holds breath for 10 seconds (!), • during which test gas is diluted by RV, • and CO is taken up into the blood.
Measurement of Transfer Factor by single-breath technique Single breath 0.3% CO 14% He 18% O2 FACO FAHE Spirometer CO2 and H2O absorption Analysis of He and CO
What happens during the 10-second breath-hold? The concentration of Helium goes down, because it is diluted by the RV. The concentration of CO goes down, because it is similarly diluted by the RV, and also because it is taken up by haemoglobin in the capillary blood.
Transfer Factor (TL) (ml/minute/kPa) How much CO was taken up. How long breath was held for. Average driving pressure.
Alveolar Volume (VA) The volume of lung reached by the test gas during the 10-second breath-hold.
Transfer Coefficient (KCO) = the Transfer Factor per litre In other words, the TL per litre of lung that was reached by the test gas. KCO = TL divided by VA KCO corrects for maldistribution.
Ventilated and Perfused Ventilated and Perfused
Perfused, but not Ventilated Ventilated and Perfused Transfer Factor (TL) = 50% Coefficient (KCO) = 100%
Ventilated and Perfused Ventilated, but not Perfused Transfer Factor (TL) = 50% Coefficient (KCO) = 100%
Perfused, but not Ventilated Ventilated, but not Perfused Call Anaesthetist very quickly indeed