Quantification of lung water by transpulmonary thermodilution in normal and edematous lung.

Purpose: To analyze the accuracy of the transpulmonary thermodilution method in the determination of extravascular lung water (EVLW).

Material And Methods: Acute lung injury was produced in eight adolescent pigs weighing 28 to 35 kg by bronchoalveolar lung lavage. EVLW was measured by transpulmonary thermodilution method before and after the intratracheal introduction of 250 or 500 mL of saline solution in different lung injury conditions.