Histoarchitectural Changes of Rabbit Lung Parenchyma in the Course of Experimental Barotrauma Evaluated by Quantitative Method

The aim of the study was to estimate pulmonary inflation in rabbits after experimental pulmonary barotrauma (PB) using the previously described original method for quantitative description of pulmonary histostructure. Rabbits allotted into control (P) and experimental (E) groups were used. The experimental group animals were subjected to PB. Taking into consideration posttraumatic management, group E was divided into two subgroups. Subgroup D animals were sacrificed immediately after the injury while DO subgroups – 3 weeks after the injury. The number of alveoli and other pathologically closed air spaces were counted during histological examinations of frontal cross-sections of the lungs. In D and DO subgroups, pulmonary inflation increased significantly in relation to group P and in DO group the changes were more visible. It has been concluded that PB evokes an increase in air spaces in the lungs and this change, when untreated, intensifies with time.