Heparin Nebulization Attenuates Acute Lung Injury in Sepsis Following Smoke Inhalation in Sheep

Abstract
Pseudomonas pneumonia is a common complication of smoke inhalation injury. Airway casts formed from clotted mucous occur frequently in this condition. A recent report shows that intravenous heparin improves oxygenation and reduces lung damage in a sheep model of smoke inhalation. We hypothesized that nebulized heparin could be an effective means of reducing cast formation. Female sheep (n = 19) were surgically prepared for a study of acute lung injury (ALI). After a tracheotomy, 48 breaths of cotton smoke (Pseudomonas aeruginosa