Kerosene aspiration: immediate and early pulmonary and cardiovascular effects

Hydrocarbon aspiration is responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality in both children and domestic animals. To better understand the pathogenesis of hydrocarbon poisoning, we evaluated the effects of aspiration of 0.5 ml/kg of kerosene on various pulmonary and cardiovascular variables over a 4-hr period in a canine model. Heart rate and blood pressure decreased immediately after kerosene aspiration but returned to control values within 60 min. Respiratory rate and intrapulmonary shunting were increased and PaO2 was decreased for up to 4 hr after kerosene aspiration. PaCO2 increased and pH decreased immediately after aspiration but returned to baseline within 45 and 90 min, respectively. Intrapleural pressure became more negative after kerosene was aspirated, which suggests that total lung compliance was diminished. Kerosene aspiration resulted in severe and persistent intrapulmonary physiologic shunting, hypoxemia, bradycardia, and hypotension.