Pulmonary shunt
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Pulmonary shunts exist when there is normal perfusion to an alveolus, but ventilation fails to supply the perfused region.
This will lead to a situation where the blood supply leaving a shunted area of the lung will have lower levels of oxygen and higher levels of carbon dioxide (i.e., the normal gas exchange doesn't occur).
A small degree of shunt is normal and may be described as 'physiological shunt'. A physiological shunt fraction of 5% is normal and upto 10% is compatible with normal gas exchange.
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