PURPOSE: Evaluate compensatory lung growth (CLG) in lobar transplant and see if it is similar to CLG after lobectomy. METHODS: We used 48 dogs in three groups (G1=control, G2=left cranial lobectomy, and G3=pneumonectomy with reimplantation of left caudal lobe). Five months after surgery animals underwent lung scintigraphy and were then sacrificed for lung morphometric study. RESULTS: There was no correlation between scintigraphy and lung mass or lung volume. There was both mass and residual volume CLG in the operated groups, both contralateral and epsilateral to surgery; there was no compensation for total lung capacity or compliance in the remaining caudal lobe (G2) or the reimplanted caudal lobe (G3) 5 months after surgery, there was more damage in the reimplanted lobe. As previous studies have show that CLG starts with increased mass and residual volume and that compliance is later compensated, this study seems to have documented the beginning of CLG, with lung compliance being the limiting factor of CLG after 5 months of study. CONCLUSION: There is CLG in both reimplanted lobe and contralateral lung but compliance is still reduced. CLG was similar in both groups but implanted lobe compliance was more prejudiced.
Animal experimentation; Transplantation, Autologous; Lung, Transplantation; Dogs
