Experimental Pulmonary Air Embolism Angiographic Study in Dogs

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Abstract
Effects of different types of air embolization were studied with serial pulmonary angiography in 16 dogs. Pulmonary artery pressure and arterial oxygen saturation were recorded simultaneously. After bilateral embolization the following changes occurred: signs of blockage from the air bubbles appeared as occlusions, filling defects and areas devoid of contrast material; artery branches became wide and tortuous, peripherally, they tapered rapidly; passage time of contrast material to pulmonary veins was shortened; abnormal, small vessels appeared peripherally in the lungs; pulmonary artery pressure doubled; arterial oxygen saturation decreased; and all these changes disappeared within five to 20 minutes after the air injection. After unilateral embolization, similar angiographic findings—except the signs of air bubble blockage—were demonstrated also in the nonembolized lung. Pulmonary hypertension and arterial hypoxemia appeared as they did after bilateral embolization. These findings were interpreted as signs of reflex vasoconstriction in the lung and opening of precapillary arteriovenous anastomoses as a possible cause of arterial hypoxemia.

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