Histopathologic evaluation of neurogenic pulmonary edema after subarachnoid hemorrhage in rabbits

ABSTRACT

To investigate the effects of subarachnoid hemorrhage [SAH] on lung tissue. We conducted this study on 20 rabbits in the Ataturk University Medical Faculty, Erzurum, Turkey in 2005. Experimental SAH was applied to all animals under general anesthesia. After 20 days, all animals were sacrificed. Their lungs were examined histopathologically. Foamy hemorrhagic parenchymal lesions, alveolar rupture, and subintimal fluid collection in the pulmonary vasculature were observed in the lungs of the non-surviving animals. However, minimal changes were found in the lungs of the surviving animals [p<0.01]. Our results suggest that luminal narrowing of the lung vessels due to subintimal fluid collection plays an important role in the development of pulmonary hypertension and neurogenic pulmonary edema in SAH