Polymorphonuclear leucocyte sequestration in the lungs and liver following soft-tissue trauma: an in vivo study.

Neutrophils are thought to sequestrate in the lungs and the liver in association with shock. Indications for this have previously been demonstrated in different in vitro studies. In this experiment an in vivo technique for dynamic studies of pulmonary and liver neutrophil sequestration (PNT and LNT, respectively) is described. Autologous neutrophils from ten pigs were labelled with 111Indium-oxine. The pigs were placed under a scintillation camera for continuous recording of the activity distribution in the pigs during 105 minutes. Following a steady-state period of 15 minutes seven pigs were subjected to a standardized soft-tissue trauma. Three pigs were used as controls and not traumatized. Within 1-3 minutes after trauma the radioactivity over the lungs increased dramatically, indicating PNT. This was followed by a fast decrease but 90 minutes after trauma PNT levels were still significantly elevated. LNT showed a similar pattern, although the immediate increase was less dramatic. This study shows that PNT and LNT occur immediately after soft-tissue trauma and can be studied dynamically in vivo.