A new model for neonatal pulmonary hemorrhage research

Hemorrhagic atelectasis was successfully produced in newborn rabbits by pharmacologically narrowing airways leading to alveoli ventilated with oxygen-enriched gas. Between 48% and 62% of alveoli filled with blood cells. Areas of lung with a tendency to collapse were measured by pressure volume studies. Animals given supplemental oxygen retained 56% of total lung volume compared with 79% in the pilocarpine group, which suggested increased effectiveness of anti-atelectasis factors in the latter. Less total lung gas was present in the pilocarpine group (4.0 plus or minus 0.4 cc/g) compared with oxygen controls (5.1 plus or minus 0.81 cc/g), which indicated more noninflatable lung. Neither surfactant deficiency nor heart failure needed to be present for pulmonary hemorrhage to occur.