Iatrogenic microemboli of pulmonary arteries in infants.

The identification of emboli of the pulmonary arterioles with foreign bodies by means of morphologic examination was made in 5 infants aged from 8 days to 5 months. Positive results of special staining procedures of foreign bodies, particularly when applying for the first time a dye Siriusrot F3B, used in the textile industry, permitted an identification of the bodies localized both intra- and extravascularly as cotton fibres. The origin of fibres, tissue reactions, and the pathogenetic significance of the emboli due to foreign bodies are discussed.