The effects of pneumoperitoneum on lung function in pulmonary emphysema.

The treatment of chronic hypertrophic emphysema by pneumoperitoneum has received much favourable comment in recent medical literature. In several reports on small series of cases it is claimed that this manceuvre will increase vital capacity (Brackenridge and Jones, 1953; Furman and Callaway, 1950; Gaensler and Carter, 1950; Zak and Southwell, 1953),maximum breathing capacity (Gaensler and Carter, 1950; Kory, Roehm, Meneely, and Goodwin, 1953), and intrapulmonary mixing efficiency (Gaensler and Carter, 1950), reduce residual volume (Gaensler and Carter, 1950; Kory and others, 1953; Zak and Southwell, 1953), and in some cases improve the ability to maintain a normal arterial oxygen saturation on effort (Furman and Callaway, 1950; Gaensler and Carter, 1950). Furthermore, in 30 out of the 43 cases reported in the literature clinical impro-vement has closely paralleled improvement in the tests of lung function. This paper is a report of the effects of pneumoperitoneum on lung function tests in 11 emphysematous subjects.