Effect of increasing the tidal volume of smoke breaths on smoke-induced lung dysfunction

We determined the effect of a graded increase in lung exposure to a toxic smoke by increasing smoke tidal volume (VT) or the number of smoke breaths. Sheep were anesthetized and then insufflated with cooled cotton toweling smoke; VT was 5, 10, or 20 ml/kg, and smoke breaths were varied from 12 to 48. The smoke had a uniform particle size (3 +/- 0.4 microns diam). Peak carboxyhemoglobin levels varied from 8 +/- 2 to 45 +/- 4% in the lowest to highest exposure groups, respectively. Animals were monitored unanesthetized for 24 h, and then they were killed. Oxygenation (ratio of arterial PO2 to fraction of inspire O2) decreased from 480 +/- 21 to 200 Torr, and compliance decreased by approximately 50% in the highest smoke exposure groups, whereas only a modest decrease in oxygenation and no compliance changes were seen with lesser exposures. A moderate tracheobronchitis, some atelectasis, and no alveolar edema were noted in the lower smoke exposure groups, whereas severe tracheobronchitis, airway edema, and alveolar atelectasis were observed in the highest exposure group. Only modest alveolar flooding was noted. Impaired oxygenation and anatomic injury correlated best with the total smoke delivered (r = 0.59). Increasing VT from 5 to 20 ml/kg did not increase airway or alveolar injury if the total smoke mass delivered was maintained constant. The degree of impaired oxygenation did not correlate with measured lung water (r = 0.27) or lung lymph flow (r = 0.31).