Hyaline emboli in the microcirculation of rabbits during anaphylaxis

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Liver lipid as a source of embolic fat

Little attention has been focused on the liver as a source of embolic fat. Despite this, clinical observations are available suggesting a relationship between fatty livers and the frequency and/or degree of fat embolization. By combining whole organ perfusion techniques and dietary production of fatty livers in experimental animals, a tool for evaluating the liver and its role in fat embolization has been developed. Fatty livers were produced in adult rats within 12 days by employing a high fat choline-free diet. One group of animals so prepared served as nonperfused tissue controls. Livers from normal and special dietary animals were removed and perfused for periods up to 4 hr. All tissues were frozen and then sectioned after 24-hr fixation in 10% formalin and stained with flaming red and hematoxylin. Nonperfused livers from animals on a choline-free diet revealed intense intracellular lipid concentration, but no fat emboli. Normal livers perfused for 3—4 hr were free of significant accumulation of embolic fat. In contrast, severe embolization was encountered in the perfused fatty livers.

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With the Technical Assistance of Kornel Gerszi and Mary S. Northington

Submitted on May 10, 1961

Absorption of inhaled water in experimental pulmonary edema and embolism

The effect of pulmonary edema and pulmonary embolism on the rate of absorption of standard amounts of inhaled fluids was investigated in rats. Relative lung weight (= lung weight in per cent of body wt.) was used as an index of the fluid content of the lung. α-Naphthylthiourea (ANTU) was used to induce lung edema; intravenous barium sulfate was used as embolic material. Fresh water (.1 ml/100 g/body wt.) saline, and other fluids were introduced intratracheally; the animals were sacrificed 5 min (fresh water), 5, and 15 min (physiological saline) subsequently. The rate of fluid absorption from the lungs was not affected by ANTU lung edema but was significantly delayed after pulmonary embolism. The implication of these findings is discussed.