Low-flow intratracheal gas insufflation is known to be an effective means of providing partial ventilatory support in respiratory failure. We studied the effects of catheter position on intraluminal CO2 concentration profiles and gas transport resistance during intra-airway insufflation at 0.15 l.kg-1.min-1 in six anesthetized paralyzed mechanically hypoventilated dogs. The two positions of the distal tip of the insufflation catheter were 0.5 cm proximal to and 4.0 cm distal to the carina. Local airway CO2 concentrations were measured via a sampling catheter passed through the tracheobronchial tree. Resistance to gas transport was calculated from the measured data. Arterial PO2 and arterial PCO2 remained constant with carinal and bronchial insufflation. Distal positioning of the insufflation tip resulted in a redistribution of ventilation between the lungs, with the ipsilateral lung being relatively hyperventilated and the contralateral lung being relatively hypoventilated. Intraluminal CO2 concentrations were markedly reduced in the ipsilateral lung compared with the profile in the contralateral lung during fresh gas delivery into the main-stem bronchus. The region of peak transport resistance was found to be in the second-generation airways during carinal insufflation and in the fourth-generation airways with intrabronchial insufflation. We conclude that gas exchange during low-flow insufflation occurs by the same mechanisms responsible for CO2 elimination in constant-flow ventilation. Overall gas exchange is not affected by position of the jet catheter.