title: Non-lobar atelectasis generates inflammation and structural alveolar injury in the surrounding healthy tissue during mechanical ventilation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  When alveoli collapse the traction forces exerted on their walls by adjacent expanded units may increase and concentrate. These forces may promote its re-expansion at the expense of potentially injurious stresses at the interface between the collapsed and the expanded units. We developed an experimental model to test the hypothesis that a local non-lobar atelectasis can act as a stress concentrator, contributing to inflammation and structural alveolar injury in the surrounding healthy lung tissue during mechanical ventilation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 35 rats were anesthetized, paralyzed and mechanically ventilated. Atelectasis was induced by bronchial blocking: after five minutes of stabilization and pre-oxygenation with FIO2 = 1.0, a silicon cylinder blocker was wedged in the terminal bronchial tree. Afterwards, the animals were randomized between two groups: 1) Tidal volume (VT) = 10 ml/kg and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) = 3 cmH2O (VT10/PEEP3); and 2) VT = 20 ml/kg and PEEP = 0 cmH2O (VT20/zero end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP)). The animals were then ventilated during 180 minutes. Three series of experiments were performed: histological (n = 12); tissue cytokines (n = 12); and micro-computed tomography (microCT; n = 2). An additional six, non-ventilated, healthy animals were used as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atelectasis was successfully induced in the basal region of the lung of 26 out of 29 animals. The microCT of two animals revealed that the volume of the atelectasis was 0.12 and 0.21 cm3. There were more alveolar disruption and neutrophilic infiltration in the peri-atelectasis region than the corresponding contralateral lung (control) in both groups. Edema was higher in the peri-atelectasis region than the corresponding contralateral lung (control) in the VT20/ZEEP than VT10/PEEP3 group. The volume-to-surface ratio was higher in the peri-atelectasis region than the corresponding contralateral lung (control) in both groups. We did not find statistical difference in tissue interleukin-1β and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 between regions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings suggest that a local non-lobar atelectasis acts as a stress concentrator, generating structural alveolar injury and inflammation in the surrounding lung tissue.
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Retamal
authors.forename: Bruno Curty
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Bergamini
authors.forename: Alysson R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Fernando A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Bozza
authors.forename: Gisella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borzone
authors.forename: João Batista
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hedenstierna
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bugedo
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bruhn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration / Q000379:methods; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000473:pathology*; D001261:Pulmonary Atelectasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology; D013990:Tidal Volume; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta