Intertissue diffusion effect for inert fat-soluble gases

Abstract

An approximately constant 5% difference in alveolar concentration of nitrous oxide and cyclopropane exists when these two gases are administered simultaneously to human subjects. This difference in uptake cannot be fully explained within the traditional framework of a perfusion-limited, multi-compartment model of inert gas exchange. It is proposed that this difference reflects direct diffusion from lean to neighboring adipose tissue through distances of the order of 1 mm. The diffusional rate of cyclopropane uptake into adipose tissue is initially large relative to perfusional uptake. The two rates eventually become and remain comparable as both decrease to zero. Implications of these results for deduction of blood flow to body adipose tissue by gas uptake measurement, and for utilization of capillary exchange surface by fat-soluble gases in adipose tissue are discussed. compartment model generalization; gas uptake in body; inert, fat-soluble gas uptake; kinetics of gas exchange in body; body uptake of inert gases; fat-soluble gas uptake; distribution kinetics of gases in body Submitted on February 3, 1964