[Ultrastructural changes in the lung in acute adult respiratory distress syndrome]

Morphological alterations of the lung in respiratory distress syndrome of adults (ARDS) were analyzed in 10 cases with traumatic-and septic shock, laryngitis subglottica descendens and bronchopneumonia. For the better understanding of the pathomechanism of the disease in addition to the standard methods, first of all ultrastructural alterations were studied. Two phases of the morphologic alterations could be distinguished, the phase of the destruction and the phase of the repair. These two processes are not sharply distinguishable. Genesis of the characteristic histological alterations (damage to the epithelial and endothelial cells, formation of hyaline membranes, microcoagulation, proliferation of the type II pneumocytes and fibroblasts, fibrosis) is discussed, with regard to the data of the literature.