The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 27, 206-215, Copyright © 1979 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Pulmonary reperfusion syndrome
DL Modry and RC Chiu
"Reperfusion syndrome" of the lung may play a role in the pulmonary edema
and hemorrhage that occur following pulmonary embolectomy, cardiopulmonary
bypass, and shock. Bioenergetic, metabolic, and ultrastructural studies of
canine lungs indicate that ventilated lung tissue could tolerate 5 hours of
pulmonary arterial occlusion with minimal damage. However, a 24-hour
interruption of pulmonary arterial blood flow produced a significant
decrease in the ratio of adenosine triphosphate to adenosine disphosphate,
and glycogen, and an increase in tissue lactate. Reperfusion of these lungs
resulted in even more pronounced biochemical and ultrastructural
deterioration, as well as gross pulmonary edema and hemorrhage. The lesion
appears to be similar to the reperfusion damage that occurs in other
organs, such as the kidney, and the skeletal and cardiac muscles.
