[Experimental study on early pulmonary injury induced by severe acute pancreatitis in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the injury to pulmonary tissue induced by severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) during its early period. METHODS: Forty adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats weighing 300-400 g were randomly divided into 4 groups with 8 animals in each group: sham operation group and 30, 60, 120 and 360 minutes after SAP groups. The model of SAP was reproduced by retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate into the pancreatic duct of rats. Rats were sacrificed at different time points, and blood gas analysis, pulmonary pathological changes and wet dry weight ratio (W/D) of the lung were conducted. RESULTS: A large amount of polymorphonuclear neutrophils were observed in pulmonary tissue within 360 minutes after reproduction of SAP with obvious changes, and water content of pulmonary tissue was increased significantly, while base excess (BE) decreased significantly in rats with SAP (P<0.05 or P<0.01 ). But no obvious change was observed in arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO(2)) and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO(2), both P>0.05). CONCLUSION: SAP causes significant inflammation in rat lung with injury to pulmonary tissue in its early period.