Unilateral pulmonary edema in rabbits after reexpansion of collapsed lung.

The effects of the mode of reinflation and of the duration of prior collapse on the development of unilateral pulmonary edema following reexpansion of collapsed lung were studied in a rabbit model simulating the human syndrome of "reexpansion pulmonary edema." The right lungs of rabbits were maintained in an atelectatic state for 0.5 h to 8 days, by injection of air into the pleural space. Reexpansion was achieved in 2 h by application of positive pressure to the airway while a chest tube was connected to underwater seal, or by application of negative pressure (-20 to -100 Torr) to a screened window in the partietal pleura. The lung surface pressures we actually applied by the two methods are not known. Animals were then killed and pulmonary edema was determined by wet-to-dry weight ratios. The incidence of unilateral pulmonary edema increased as the duration of prior collapse was increased (85% after 7--8 days; 17% after 3 days; and 0% after 0,5 h) when reinflated with -100 Torr applied to the pleural window. Although the incidence was less, it also occurred following the use of pleural window pressure less negative than -100 Torr, and after reinflation by positive airway pressure.