Abstract
If a small balloon be introduced into the right auricle or ventricle, its inflation interferes with the action of the right heart and renders the heart insufficient to perform its normal work. The effect of this upon the systemic circulation should be nearly similar to that caused by acute cardiac insufficiency in general. The changes in the volumes of the brain, liver, spleen, kidney, and extremity resulting from such cardiac obstructions were registered by oncometry in rabbits, cats and dogs.
The carotid blood-pressure, which was always registered as an index of the degree of circulatory disturbance produced, falls abruptly to a lower level when the balloon is inflated. It then remains fairly constant until a final collapse occurs just before exitus.
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