Small-Dose Inhaled Nitric Oxide Attenuates Hemodynamic Changes After Pulmonary Air Embolism in Dogs (original) (raw)

Inhaled nitric oxide (NO) has been used to treat pulmonary hypertension. Experimental studies have suggested therapeutic effects of NO after pulmonary microembolism. We evaluated the protective effects of NO in dogs during a pulmonary air embolism (PAE). NO (3 ppm) was administered to six anesthetized mongrel dogs (NO group) but not to the seven dogs in the control group. After 20 min, each dog received a venous air injection of 2.5 mL/kg. Hemodynamic evaluation was performed, and blood samples were drawn for blood gas analysis before and after NO inhalation and 5-60 min after the PAE. Both arterial blood pressure and cardiac output were decreased in the control group for Ͼ15 min after PAE, whereas NO-treated animals showed only transient hypotension. NO attenuated the pulmonary hypertension after PAE, as demonstrated by small (P Ͻ 0.05) increases JET-S received a fellowship from FAPESEP, São Paulo, Brazil. Abstract presented at the 72nd meeting of the International