[Experimental study on lung injury following severe burn. Early changes in function and hemodynamics and morphologic...

This study investigated the pulmonary and hemodynamic dysfunction and morphologic changes after major burns. Full-thickness burns, 40% TBSA were produced in 9 dogs. Respiratory Rate (RR), airway resistance (Raw), effective compliance (Ec), lung impedance Zo (LIZo), pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), pulmonary arterial wedge pressure (PAWP), blood gas monitoring, light and electron microscopic studies were performed. Following burns, RR, Raw, PAP and PAWP increased and Ec, LIZo, RaCO2 and PaO2 decreased significantly while morphologic evidence of endothelial and interstitial edema was associated with significant cellular infiltration of lung tissue, especially by leukocytes, showing evidence of degranulation. This results shown that a 40% TBSA burn without inhalation injury can produce lung injury similarly to adult respiratory distress syndrome. This lung injury is characterized by increasing pulmonary capillary permeability. Ec and LIZo monitoring may help to early diagnose of lung injury after major burns.