Effect of early whole lung lavage at different time-points for promoting the removal of depleted uranium from the lung.

Purpose: This study compared the effect of whole lung lavage (WLL) at different time-points early after exposure of the respiratory system to insoluble radioactive particles.

Materials And Methods: Forty adult beagles were randomized into a control group and the 3-h, 8-h, 24-h, and 48-h lavage groups ( = 8). A canine model of acute lung injury was established by spraying a depleted uranium (DU) suspension using a superfine fiber bronchoscope, at a dose of 20 mg/kg. The lavage groups were subjected to WLL at 3 h, 8 h, 24 h, and 48 h post-DU exposure, while the control group received no treatment after exposure. Measurement of U in serum was performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; measurements in the lavage fluid and left lung tissue were performed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The color of the lavage fluid was analyzed using colorimetry, and shadow changes in the lung were observed using chest computed tomography (CT).

Results: The lavage groups showed similarly increasing trends for serum U levels from DU exposure to 3 and 7 days after exposure; however, these values were significantly lower than those in the control group ( < .01). The U content in the lavage fluid was significantly higher in the 3-h group than in the 8-h, 24-h, and 48-h groups ( < .01), while that in the 8-h group was markedly higher than those in the 24-h and 48-h groups ( < .05). The average clearance rate of DU in the lungs varied in the range of 0.63‒7.06%. The U content in the left lung tissue of each lavage group was significantly lower than that in the control group ( < .01), while the content in the 8-h, 24-h, and 48-h groups was significantly higher than that in the 3-h group ( < .05). The colorimetric score of the lavage fluid in the 3-h group was significantly lower than those in the 8-h, 24-h, and 48-h groups ( < .05). Chest CT showed different degrees of consolidation and ground glass shadow changes in all groups. The score of the left lung shadow volume in the 3-h group was significantly lower than in the control, 8-h, 24-h, and 48-h groups ( < .01), while the score in the 8-h group was significantly higher than those in the 48-h and control groups ( < .05).

Conclusions: The best effect of WLL after exposure of the respiratory system to insoluble radioactive particles was achieved at 3 h, followed by 8 h; there was no difference in the effectiveness of lung lavage at 24 h and 48 h.