[Pulmonary microcirculatory changes in acute lung injury in rats induced by burns and endotoxin administration]

An animal model of acute pulmonary injury similar to adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was produced by intravenous injection of E. coli endotoxin to burned rats. The changes in pulmonary microcirculation were observed in vivo with "pleura window" method and the cast of the lung capillaries was studied using scanning electron microscope. The histological changes in the lung in these rats were observed with transmission electron microscope. It was shown that lung vessels constricted, microvascular permeability increased, pulmonary edema occurred and leukocytes and aggregated platelets accumulated in lung capillaries. This study suggested that pulmonary microcirculatory changes are the pathological basis of acute lung injury induced by burns accompanied with endotoxemia.