OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of sevoflurane on membrane permeability of alveolar capillaries in rats with acute lung injury and the ratio of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in rats with acute endotoxin lung injury.

METHODS48 Wistar rats were selected and divided into group C, L, S1L and S2L after injection evans blue 50 mg/kg in random with 12 rats in each group. Group C was taken as control group, 1.2 ml normal saline was injected into the rats via femoral vein and then the rats were mechanically ventilated for 4 hours; The rats in group L were also mechanically ventilated for 4 hours after injection of endotoxin 5 mg/kg via the same vein. For the rats in group S1L and S2L, 1.0 or 1.5 minimal alveolar concentration (MAC) sevoflurane was inhaled with mechanical ventilation after injection of endotoxin 5 mg/kg. Evans blue was not injected into 6 rats of each group in order that the 6 rats could be used for pathological examination and alveoli lavage, lung pathomorphological score of the lung, lung wet/dry weight ratio, the content of lung water, lung permeability index, content of evans blue, total amount and ratio of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were all determined.

RESULTSSevoflurane of 1.0 MAC and 1.5 MAC made lung wet/dry weight ratio and content of lung water change insignificantly; lung permeability index, content of evans blue and pathomorphological score in group S1L decreased from 4.86 +/- 0.82, 112.21 +/- 11.44 ng/mg, 9.17 +/- 0.90 to 3.98 +/- 0.50, 92.85 +/- 11.80 ng/mg, 7.50 +/- 0.96; group S2L decreased to 3.91 +/- 0.34, 96.33 +/- 8.79 ng/mg, 7.67 +/- 0.75. Sevoflurane of 1.0 MAC and 1.5 MAC did not have a significantly effect on total amount and ratio of inflammatory cells in BALF.

CONCLUSIONMembrane permeability of alveolar capillaries after acute endotoxin lung injury decreased by inhalation of sevoflurane of 1.0 MAC and 1.5 MAC and pathological injury of lung tissue relieved.