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Biomedical subjects

R H Demling

Publications and source records attributed to R H Demling.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

The effect of plasma oncotic pressure on the pulmonary microcirculation after hemorrhagic shock.

Plasma oncotic pressure is considered to be an important factor in controlling lung water after hemorrhagic shock. However, it is the gradient between plasma and interstitial oncotic pressure which affects the pulmonary transvascular fluid filtration rate, Qf. Our objective was to determine the effect of decreasing plasma oncotic pressure, pip, on Qf, on interstitial oncotic pressure pii, and on the oncotic gradient. Chronic lung lymph fistulas were created in 16 sheep. Lymph flow, a reliable index of Qf, plasma and lymph (equal to interstitial) oncotic pressures, and vascular pressures were monitored in unanesthetized sheep, before and during hemorrhagic shock (50% blood volume), during resuscitation (3 hours), and during recovery (24 hours). Resuscitation was either with shed blood or lactated Ringer's solution in sufficient quantity to return left atrial pressure and cardiac output to baseline levels. During resuscitation with blood, lymph flow increased by 115%. The pip remained constant, while pii decreased, increasing the oncotic gradient. Crystalloid resuscitation produced on increase in lymph flow equal to that in the blood group at 120% over baseline; however, pip decreased by 50%, producing an oncotic gradient 4 mm Hg less than that of blood group. This was not reflected by a difference in Qf between the groups. During recovery Qf returned to baseline in the blood group and in most of the crystalloid group, as the oncotic gradient returned to baseline, despite a significant decrease in pip due to a compensatory decrease in pii. We conclude that during resuscitation Qf does not appear to be increased by a decrease in the oncotic gradient. During recovery a major decrease in pip can be compensated for rapidly by a decrease in pii, leading to no change in interstitial fluid content.

Animals↗

Lactic dehydrogenase activity in lung lymph during hemorrhagic shock, resuscitation and recovery.

Lactic dehydrogenase activity was determined in lung lymph before, during and after hemorrhagic shock to determine if this insult produced pulmonary cellular damage. Lung lymph flow and lymph protein content, reliable indices of fluids filtration rate and microvascular protein permeability were also monitored. The experiment was performed in unanesthetized sheep with a chronic lung lymph fistula. Lymph flow, lymph LDH and protein content did not change during the period of shock. Lymph flow increased significantly during resuscitation but lymph LDH and protein content decreased in relation to plasma values indicating the sieving effect of the microvascular membrane for protein to be intact. The increased flow was most likely caused by an increase in microvascular hydrostatic pressure. Plasma LDH was significantly increased during the 72 hour recovery period with lymph flow, lymph protein and lymph LDH being normal. We therefore found that hemorrhagic shock produced a systemic cellular injury reflected in an increased plasma LDH activity. No pulmonary cellular damage was noted.

Animals↗

Burn unit management of toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis is the name given to a group of dermatologic disorders characterized by a separation of epidermis and dermis with a subsequent skin slough. The denuded areas have the appearance of a second-degree burn. The complications of infection, negative nitrogen balance, severe pain, and emotional instability are identical to those seen in the patient with major burns. There are difficulties in patient management and advantages in burn unit care. As with the major burn, care of the patient with skin loss from toxic epidermal necrolysis is extremely complex, requiring the expertise of a burn team along with that of the dermatologist.

Adult↗

The use of a laminar airflow isolation system for the treatment of major burns.

A laminar airflow isolation burn ward was designed which would maintain a sterile environment and also allow unrestricted burn care and rehabilitation to be performed. A very low rate of sepsis and sepsis-related complications have been found in the 115 patients treated in the unit. Patient cross contamination has been completely controlled under laminar airflow conditions. The incidence of burn colonization and infection by virulent gram-negative organisms, namely pseudomonas, serratia, klebsiella, and proteus, in these patients has been extremely low, particularly in comparison with burn patients managed in a non-laminar flow intensive care environment.

Adolescent↗

The study of burn wound edema using dichromatic absorptiometry.

Burn wound edema is a source of major morbidity and mortality. To quantitatively study this edema, we have devised a noninvasive method called Dichromatic Absorptiometry (DA) which is precise (2-3%) and accurate (r equal to 0.99) in measuring changes in tissue fluid. A scanning technique using a dual photon source, 125I and 241Am, is used. The variable attenuation of the two photon energies allows for selective mass measurements of fluid, protein, lipid, and bone. In limbs with thermal injury the correlation of DA changes in fluid mass with circumference was (r equal to 0.97), but DA was more sensitive. In deep second- and third-degree burns, edema formation was maximum between 12 and 18 hours postburn with 80% of maximum already present at 4 hours. Resorption was complete by 1 week in second-degree burns, but significantly delayed in third-degree burns. Superimposed infection produced persistent edema.

Absorption↗

The effect of glucagon on the pulmonary transvascular fluid filtration rate.

Administration of glucagon has been shown to decrease pulmonary vascular resistance, but its primary site of action is undetermined. Whether this is on the arterial or venous side of the capillary would be reflected in the microvascular hydrostatic pressure. We used the pulmonary flow of lymph, a sensitive index of the transvascular fluid filtration rate, to monitor the microvascular hydrostatic pressure. Eight unanesthetized sheep with a surgically created long-term fistula for monitoring pulmonary lymph were given a 3-mg bolus of glucagon after a baseline period. We found no change in pulmonary arterial or left atrial pressures but noted a significant increase in cardiac output and a decrease in pulmonary resistance. The flow of pulmonary lymph increased by 50 percent for 30 minutes after administration of glucagon, and the protein content of the lymph decreased by 15 percent, indicating a large increase in the microvascular hydrostatic pressure. From these data, we calculated a decrease in arterial resistance from 60 percent to 30 percent of the total and, subsequently, an increase of 6 cm H2O in the microvascular hydrostatic pressure. Administration of glucagon, therefore, decreases the arterial resistance while increasing microvascular pressure in the process.

Animals↗

Ketamine anesthesia for tangenital excision of burn eschar: a burn unit procedure.

The burn eschar is the major source of infection in the severely burned patient, and it hampers healing and prevents skin grafting. Tangenital excision has been shown to be safe for rapid removal of the eschar. For the last 14 months we have used this method beginning about 7 days postinjury. Our burn unit is composed of a four-bed, horizontal, laminar airflow isolation system, and transfer out of the sterile environment to the operating room would expose the patient to airborne contamination. Intramuscular ketamine anesthesia was used to allow major debridement to be carried out in the unit itself. Forty-five patients aged 18 months to 71 years have undergone 150 excisions in the burn unit under anesthesia with no complications. The burns ranged from 20 to 75% of body surface (mean, 40%). Because ketamine is a cardiorespiratory stimulant, ventilation and vital signs were well maintained. Psychological side effects of ketamine were minimal, particularly in the younger age group.

Adolescent↗

Effects of alveolar hypoxia on lung fluid and protein transport in unanesthetized sheep.

To determine whether hypoxia directly affects pulmonary microvascular filtration of fluid or permeability to plasma proteins, we measured steady state lung lymph flow and protein transport in eight unanesthetized sheep breathing 10% O2 in N2 for 4 hours. We also studied three sheep breathing the same gas mixture for 48 hours. We surgically prepared the sheep to isolate and collect lung lymph and to measure average pulmonary arterial (Ppa) and left atrial (Pla) pressures. We placed a balloon catheter in the left atrium to elevate Pla. After recovery, the sheep breathed air through a tracheostomy for 2-4 hours, followed by 4 or 48 hours of hypoxia. In 13 4-hour studies, the average arterial PO2 fell from 97 to 38 torr; Ppa rose from 20 to 33 cm H2O; and lung lymph flow and lymph protein flow were unchanged. We also found that during 48-hour hypoxia, with a sustained elevation in Ppa and a decline in Pla, lymph flow and protein flow did not increase. In four sheep, we also raised Pla for 4 hours, followed by 4 hours of hypoxia with elevated Pla. Again, despite the added stress of elevated Pla, we found that lymph flow and lymph protein flow remained constant during hypoxia. We conclude that severe alveolar hypoxia, for 4 or 48 hours, alone or with increased pulmonary microvascular pressure, produced no change in lung fluid filtration or protein permeability, a finding supported by normal postmortem histology and extravascular lung water content.

Acute Disease↗

Lung lymph and free interstitial fluid protein composition in sheep with edema.

In 10 anesthetized sheep with mild or moderate pulmonary edema we determined whether the protein composition of lung lymph is representative of free interstitial fluid. We measured protein concentration and albumin fraction in 1-mul samples of plasma, lung lymph, and free interstitial fluid. We also measured lung lymph flow. In five sheep with edema caused by increased pulmonary microvascular pressure, the average (+/- 1 SE) plasma protein concentration was 6.0 +/- 0.4 g/100 ml, lung lymph 3.4 +/- 0.2, and interstitial fluid 3.1 +/- 0.3. Lymph flow increased from an average base-line value of 9.4 ml/h to 43.4 ml/h during edema. Average albumin fractions in lymph and interstitial fluid were 0.56 +/- 0.02 and 0.50 +/- 0.01, respectively, compared with 0.44 +/- 0.01 for plasma. In five sheep with increased-permeability edema, average plasma protein concentration was 5.7 +/- 0.3 g/100 ml, lung lymph 4.1 +/- 0.4, and interstitial fluid 4.6 +/- 0.4. Base-line lymph flow was 11.0 ml/h and increased to 27.8 ml/h during edema. Average albumin fractions in lymph and interstitial fluid were 0.53 +/- 0.01 and 0.50 +/- 0.02, respectively, compared with 0.43 +/- 0.01 for plasma. We conclude in both high-pressure and altered-permeability edema, the protein composition of lung lymph collected from the major lung efferent lymphatic is representative of the free interstitial edema fluid.

Albumins↗

Changes in extravascular lung water during venovenous perfusion.

The accumulation of extravascular lung water was related to changes in plasma colloid osmotic pressure and pulmonary hydrostatic pressures in 12 normal dogs and 13 dogs that had venovenous perfusion for 2 hours at 45 to 70 ml. per kilogram per minute. The venovenous perfusion system included a membrane oxygenator and a roller pump. Net intravascular filtration pressure was calculated from plasma colloid osmotic pressure and pulmonary hydrostic pressures. Rapid accumulation of extravascular lung water occurred in control and bypass animals when net intravascular filtration pressure exceeded zero. At lower filtration pressures, venovenous perfusion did not affect accumulation of extravascular lung water.

Animals↗

Intestinal necrosis and perforation after renal transplantation.

An acute intestinal disorder occurred in seven patients soon after renal transplantation. The disorder was characterized initially by massive abdominal distention with progression to multiple bowel perforations in three patients and extensive bowel necrosis in two. Surgical manipulation did not appear to be the cause since the transplants were performed retroperitoneally in the iliac fossa. Ischemia also was not a factor since the mesenteric vessels were patent with no evidence of thrombus formation or vasculitis. The cause appeared to be related to immunosuppressive agents, in particular, high doses of corticosteroids. The disease process appeared to be reversible if immunosuppression was discontinued early, as occurred in two patients.

Adult↗

Effect of end-expiratory airway pressure on accumulation of extravascular lung water.

The effect of end-expiratory airway pressure on the accumulation of extravascular lung water during lobar venous occlusion for 2 h was studied in closed-chest artifically ventilated dogs. Dogs were divided into two groups by end-expiratory airway pressures of 0 or 10 cmH2O. High-pressure lobar pulmonary edema was produced by lobar venous occlusion, which elevated microvascular hydrostatic pressure. After occlusion of the lobar pulmonary vein, lobar venous pressure (and microvascular hydrostatic pressure) rapidly became identical to pulmonary arterial pressure. We measured extravascular lung water (post mortem) and pulmonary arterial pressure and calculated plasma colloid osmotic pressure to determine the relationship between the accumulation of lung water and the difference between pulmonary microvascular pressure and plasma colloid osmotic pressure (net intravascular filtration pressure). At comparable net intravascular filtration pressures, dogs ventilated at the higher end-expiratory airway pressure accumulated more extravascular lung water. This study indicates that increasing end-expiratory airway pressure from zero to 10 cmH2O increases the accumulation of extravascular lung water when microvascular hydrostatic pressure is raised.

Animals↗

Distribution volumes of [131I]albumin, [14C]sucrose, and 36Cl in sheep lung.

We measured the steady-state volumes of distribution for radioactive chloride, sucrose, and albumin in the lung of six anesthetized, spen-thorax sheep. We allowed 2 days for [131I]albumin to equilibrate throughout the body, 2 h for the 36Cl, and a 40-min constant infusion for [14C]sucrose before killing the animal. Five minutes before death, we gave [125I]albumin to tag lung plasma volume. We killed the animals by clamping both lung hila; we then removed the lungs and homogenized them. We measured residual red cell and plasma volume, total extravascular lung water, and the extravascular content of the three tracers. The distribution volumes expressed as fractions of blood-free lung weight were: 36Cl equals 0.44, sucrose equals 0.28, and albumin equals 0.07. If the sucrose distribution volume is taken as the best estimate of the lung's extravascular extracellular space, then chloride clearly overestimates the interstitial fluid volume, being either bound or partially intracellular. On the other hand, albumin clearly underestimates the interstitial fluid volume.

Animals↗