Longitudinal quantification of radical bursts during pulmonary ischaemia and reperfusion.

Objectives: Pulmonary ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is associated with several life-threatening pulmonary disorders, and may severely compromise the outcome of lung transplantation. Highly reactive molecules such as superoxide, nitric oxide (NO) and peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) are presumed to contribute to IRI pathogenesis, but this assumption is based on indirect measurements. We use electron spin resonance (ESR) to directly quantify free radical formation after pulmonary ischaemia and reperfusion.