Abstract
Alveolar fluid clearance was studied in the resected lung of a 58-year-old man who had undergone exploratory thoracotomy 9 days earlier. An isosmolar albumin solution was instilled into the distal air spaces, and the albumin and electrolyte concentrations were measured over 4h. Alveolar sodium and fluid clearance had increased by nearly 200% from the control values in the resected lungs of patients without prior thoracotomy (n=5), and histological examination showed that the number of alveolar type II epithelial cells was markedly elevated. These results suggest that an increase in the number of alveolar type II cells may accelerate alveolar fluid clearance under certain clinical conditions.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Sakuma T, Okaniwa G, Nakada T, Nishimura T, Fujimura S, Matthay MA (1994) Alveolar fluid clearance in the resected human lung. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 150:305–310
Matthay MA, Folkesson HG, Verkman AS (1996) Salt and water transport across alveolar and distal airway epithelia in the adult lung. Am J Physiol 270 (Lung Cell Mol Physiol 14):L487-L503
Sakuma T, Pittet JF, Jayr C, Matthay MA (1993) Alveolar liquid and protein clearance in the absence of blood flow or ventilation in sheep. J Appl Physiol 74:176–185
Smedira N, Gates L, Hastings R, Jayr C, Sakuma T, Pittet JF, Matthay MA (1991) Alveolar and lung liquid clearance in anesthetized rabbits. J Appl Physiol 70:1827–1835
Basset G, Crone C, Saumon G (1987) Significance of active ion transport in transalveolar water absorption: A study on isolated rat lung. J Physiol (Lond) 384:311–324
Goodman BE, Kim K-J, Crandall ED (1987) Evidence for active sodium transport across alveolar epiethelium of isolated rat lung. J Appl Physiol 62:2460–2466
Saumon G, Basset G (1993) Electrolyte and fluid transport across the mature alveolar epithelium. J Appl Physiol 74:1–15
Matthay MA (1993) Function of the alveolar epithelial barrier under pathologic conditions. Chest 105:67S-74S
Pittet JF, Wiener-Kronish JP, McElroy MC, Folkesson HG, Matthay MA (1994) Stimulation of lung epithelial liquid clearance by endogenous release of catecholamines in septic shock in anesthetized rats. J Clin Invest 94:663–671
Bachofen M, Weibel ER (1977) Alternations of the gas exchange apparatus in adult respiratory insufficiency associated with septicemia. Am Rev Respir Dis 116:589–615
Sakuma T, Kubo H, Tanita T, Koike K, Fujimura S (1992) Migration of neutrophils from the lung into the pleural space after lung resection in humans and rabbits. Chest 102:812–818
Nitenberg G, Folkesson HG, Osorio O, Cohen-Solal J, Matthay MA (1995) Alveolar epithelial liquid clearance is markedly increased 10 days following acute lung injury from bleomycin. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 151:A620
Panos RJ, Rubin JS, Aaronson SA, Mason RJ (1993) Keratinocyte growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor are heparin-binding growth factors for alveolar type II cells in fibroblast-conditioned medium. J Clin Invest 92:969–977
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sakuma, T., Usuda, K., Handa, M. et al. Increased alveolar fluid clearance following thoracotomy: Report of a case and results of an analysis. Surg Today 27, 762–765 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02384993
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02384993