• H Li, E Lu, J Yu, Y Wang, X Sun, D Wang, S Guan, and C Ma.
• Department of Thoracic Surgery, Navy General Hospital, People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100037, China.
• Zhonghua Wai Ke Za Zhi. 2000 Aug 1; 38 (8): 630-2.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of seawater immersion on multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) after chest trauma.MethodsTwenty health dogs were divided into two groups. Right open pneumothorax was induced in both control group (n = 10) and experimental group (n = 10). After induction of chest trauma, animals in the experimental group were immersed in artificial seawater. Blood samples were taken at seven different intervals for assessing blood gas, plasma level of TNFalpha, and IL-1 beta. Changes of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate amino-transferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK) lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatinine (Cr) were measured. At the end of study, lung was harvested for assessing lung water content and ratio of wet weight and dry weight.ResultsA significant elevation of ALT, AST, CK and LDH was observed in both groups. Organ functional parameters in the experimental group were consistent with the failure standard at 30 minutes after seawater immersion, and those in the control group at 4 hours. Post-trauma mortality and incidence of MODS were much higher in the experimental group than those in the control group (P < 0.01). The plasma levels of TNFalpha and IL-1 beta significantly increased at 30 minutes and reached the highest level at 60 minutes after seawater immersion. The time of peak level appeared earlier in the experimental group than that in the control group.ConclusionSeawater immersion after open chest trauma results in high incidence of MODS and high mortality rate due to progressive dysfunction of multiple organs.

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