Temporary interventional pneumonectomy used as an emergency treatment for acute massive pulmonary embolism: the initial experimental results

Objective: To evaluate regional airway obstruction with balloon catheter in stabilizing the vital signs in experimental animals suffered from acute massive pulmonary embolism. Methods: Pulmonary embolism of right lung artery by using auto-blood clots or detachable latex balloons was established in 27 healthy sheep. When the blood oxygen saturation decreased by 25% compared to that before the procedure, the placement of balloon catheter in corresponding right main bronchus was carried out in 18 sheep (study group). Five sheep were used as control group. The blood oxygen saturation in the remaining four sheep did not reach the intervention level. The pulmonary arterial pressure, the peripheral arterial pressure, the central venous pressure, the heart rate, the blood oxygen saturation, the arterial partial pressure of oxygen as well as of carbon dioxide were invasively determined. Results: The experimental model of acute massive pulmonary embolism was successfully established in 23 sheep. After the establishment of pulmonary embolism, increased heart rate, tachypnea, a decrease of ≥ 25% in blood oxygen saturation within 30 minutes and a rise in pulmonary arterial pressure were detected. After the placement of balloon catheter in study group, a reduction of the pulmonary arterial pressure and an elevation of the blood oxygen saturation as well as the arterial partial pressure of oxygen rose were observed.The difference between study group and control group was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: The result of this animal experiment indicates that obstruction of airway with balloon can be served as a first aid for acute massive pulmonary embolism, which can stabilizes the animal's vital signs and, therefore, can help gain precious time for the follow-up thrombolysis treatment. (authors)