Pulmonary Arterial Occlusion and Surfactant Production in Humans

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Abstract
Surface activity was measured on saline extracts of 71 human lung specimens, 22 with pulmonary infarctions, 14 with acute emboli without infarction, and 35 specimens of normal lung tissue. Determinations were performed on a modified Langmuir-Wilhelmy surface film balance. Minimal surface tensions of extracts of normal lungs, emboli and infarctions were 5.5, 6.9, and 19.1 dynes/cm, respectively, indicating a severe surfactant abnormality in the infarcted specimens. Incorporation of C14 palmitate into phospholipids by lung slices was also markedly impaired in infarctions. Obstruction to the pulmonary circulation interferes with surfactant production, thus contributing to the hemorrhagic atelectasis seen with pulmonary infarctions.

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