Electron microscopy findings in fetal organs after perfusion of the amniotic cavity with oxygenated fluorocarbon.

In 20 fetal rabbits a double-blind electron microscopy study of placenta, lung, heart, liver, and stomach was performed at 28 or 29 days of gestation. The amniotic cavity was continuously perfused with perfluorotetrahydrofuran (FC 77) before the fetuses were killed. Compared with control fetuses, no morphological changes of fetal lung and stomach nor of placenta related to FC were found. There were unexplained changes in liver parenchymal cells. However, a protective effect of FC on the myocardial tissue was observed.