[Evaluation of pulmonary elastance and resistance in acute pancreatitis. Experimental study in rats]

Approximately 50 to 70% of the patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) have suffered hypoxia and 1/3 of the pulmonary lesions could progress to a clinical respiratory insufficiency. The respiratory mechanics has been studied by Amdur and Mead (1958) method in the rat with acute pancreatitis induced by taurocholate acid injection into hepatic duct. It has been measured dynamic elastance and pulmonary resistance. Three groups were studied: control group "sham operation"-12 rats; 2 hours pancreatitis group-10 rats and 8 hours pancreatitis group-8 rats. There was no significant increase on dynamic elastance in 2 hours AP group and also no tendency of normalization of this parameter in 8 hours AP group. The pulmonary resistance shows no significant increase in 2 and 8 AP groups (p). The pulmonary resistance alterations show that AP does not lead to an obstructive pneumophathy and if correlated with the decrease of total pulmonary capacity observed in the volume/pressure curves one could conclude that AP probably is associated with a restrictive pneumophathy.