[Lung lesion in acute pancreatitis]

Clinically detectable signs of lung injury develop in up to 70 percent of patients with acute pancreatitis. In order to study the pulmonary injury, experimental haemorrhagic pancreatitis was induced in 63 Wistar rats by intraductal injection of 5 per cent sodium taurocholate. Investigations were carried out 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after the end of pancreatitis induction. Lung injury was maximal at 12 hours after pancreatitis induction, pancreatic enzymes (amylase and trypsin) in peritonial fluid were maximal early (2-4h) and serum levels were maximal at about 4 hours after induction. In conclusion, in experimental acute pancreatitis pulmonary injury occurs 12 h after the start of infusion with increase in vascular permeability of the lung. This lesion may be related to pancreatic enzymes in peritonial fluid and blood.