Pulmonary damage due to high pressure oxygen breathing in rats. I. Lung weight, histological and radiological studies.

Abstract

SUMMARYChanges in lung weights, histology and bronchographic appearances are recorded in rats subjected to oxygen at 60 p.s.i. (gauge) pressure (OHP). Capillary congestion, progressing to alveolar exudation and haemorrhage, was the earliest observable change. The results failed to support a postulate that lung damage due to oxygen poisoning is primarily an atelectasis due to bronchial obstruction. Positive pressure inflation of lungs immediately post mortem, did not reverse oxygen damage. Heparinisation of rats was also without effect on such damage. Exposure of lung tissue in vitro to 100 p.s.i. (gauge) pressure of oxygen for five hours failed to cause changes similar to those observed for OHP lungs exposed in vivo.