DECREASE OF ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION RELATED LUNG EDEMA BY CONTINUOUS VENTILATION AND ALLOPURINOL IN RAT PERFUSION LUNG MODEL

Using isolated perfusion rat lung model, we studied the effect of cont inuous ventilation without perfusion and allopurinol on the developmen t of ischaemia-reperfusion lung injury. Ischaemia was induced by stopp ing the perfusion. Normothermic ischaemia for 90 min without ventilati on caused significant lung oedema. Continuous ventilation during ischa emia with 21% O2 decreased lung oedema significantly after 60 min of r eperfusion. The same protection could be achieved by 100% N2 ventilati on during 90 min of ischaemia, suggesting that xanthine oxidase (XO) i s unlikely to cause the ischaemia-reperfusion lung injury. On the othe r hand allopurinol, XO inhibitor, equally inhibited lung oedema after 90 min of ischaemia and 60 min of reperfusion. These results indicate that mechanical movement of alveoli provides successful preservation o f ischaemic lung, and allopurinol has some protective effect other tha n XO inhibition.