Treatment of sea-water aspiration

Abstract

Lightly anesthetized dogs were subjected to obstructive asphyxia (simulating laryngospasm). When spontaneous breathing efforts ceased, the lungs were flooded with sea water for 30 seconds, according to a standardized experiment described previously. Five dogs were treated with intermittent positive pressure artificial respiration with 100% oxygen (IPPB/O₂) for 3 hours. Five additional dogs were treated identically except for the addition of an intravenous infusion of dog plasma 50 ml/kg body weight, 10 minutes after the start of artificial respiration. All the dogs treated only with IPPB/O₂ for 3 hours were more completely reoxygenated than were those ventilated with IPPB/air for 10 minutes in the earlier experiment. However, death with pulmonary edema followed the cessation of IPPB/O₂ as well as IPPB/air. When the hemoconcentration and hypovolemia, caused by flooding of the lungs with sea water, were corrected by plasma infusion in addition to IPPB/O₂, four of the five dogs survived. Submitted on May 19, 1960