A novel framework of circulatory equilibrium was developed by extending Guyton's original concept. In this framework, venous return (CO V) for a given stressed volume (V) was characterized by a flat surface as a function of right atrial pressure (P RA) and left atrial pressure (PLA) as follows: COV ϭ V/W Ϫ G SPRA Ϫ GPPLA, where W, GS, and GP denote linear parameters. In seven dogs under total heart bypass, CO V, PRA, PLA, and V were varied to determine the three parameters in each animal with use of multivariate analysis. The coefficient of determination (r 2 ϭ 0.92-0.99) indicated the flatness of the venous return surface. The averaged surface was CO V ϭ V/0.129 Ϫ 19.61PRA Ϫ 3.49PLA. To examine the invariability of the surface parameters among animals, we predicted the circulatory equilibrium in response to changes in stressed volume in another 12 dogs under normal and heart failure conditions. This was achieved by equating the standard surface with the individually measured cardiac output (CO) curve. In this way, we could predict CO [y ϭ 0.90x ϩ 5.6, r 2 ϭ 0.95, standard error of the estimate (SEE) ϭ 8.7 ml ⅐ min Ϫ1 ⅐ kg Ϫ1 ], PRA (y ϭ 0.96x, r 2 ϭ 0.98, SEE ϭ 0.2 mmHg), and P LA (y ϭ 0.89x ϩ 0.5, r 2 ϭ 0.98, SEE ϭ 0.8 mmHg) reasonably well. We conclude that the venous return surface accurately represents the venous return properties of the systemic and pulmonary circulations. The characteristics of the venous return surface are invariable enough among animals, making it possible to predict circulatory equilibrium, even if those characteristics are unknown in individual animals. venous return; cardiac output; hemodynamics THE FRAMEWORK FOR CIRCULATORY EQUILIBRIUM was pioneered by Guyton and associates in the 1950s (14 -17). They characterized the venous return properties of the systemic vein by the venous return curve and the apparent pumping ability of the cardiothoracic compartment by the cardiac output (CO) curve (Fig. 1A). The intersection of the two curves determines equilibrium CO and right atrial pressure (P RA ) (14). This concept clearly defined the circulatory equilibrium under rather simple pathophysiological conditions, such as hemorrhage and exercise, and deepened our understanding of control mechanisms of CO. However, because the original framework lumped various subsystem components, such as the right ventricle, pulmonary vascular system, and left ventricle, into a single cardiothoracic compartment, the lack of consideration of the venous return properties of the pulmonary circulation and the pumping ability of the individual ventricles makes it difficult to define the circulatory equilibrium under more complex conditions such as unilateral ventricular failures, which are often seen in clinical settings (2). In other words, redistribution of blood between the systemic and pulmonary circulations cannot be defined by their original framework.To deal with the blood redistribution, Guyton et al. (15) modified the original framework and developed a two-compartment model. However, the analysis of hem...