Histopathological and Ultrastructural Observation of the Lungs after Gun-shot-wounds of the Thighs in Dogs / 第三军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

Histopathological and ultrastructural changes of the lungs were observed in various intervals after high-velocity bullet wounds of the two thighs of dogs. It was found that histologically there were microvascular dilatation, congestion, capillary rupture, interstitial and alveolar bleeding, focal atelecta-sis and pulmonary emphysema in the first half hour and the 6th hour after injury. In addition, microvascular embolism and hyaline membrane formation were seen in the 24th and 72nd hour after injury. Under electron microscopy, there were swelling of capillary endothelium, swelling, degeneration and necrosis of type I pneumocytes, shortening and decreasing of the microvilli of type II pneu-mocytes, significant vacuolation of the lamonar bodies, accumulation of leucocytes and platelets in the capillary lumen,and obvious decrease of the granules in the leucocytes. The mechanism of the pulmonary injury accompanying bullet wound of the thighs was discussed.