Effect of Splenectomy, Nephrectomy and Other Procedures on Epinephrine-Induced Pulmonary Edema

¹ From the Division of Cardiology, Chicago Medical School at Mount Sinai Hospital, Chicago, Illinois

The effect of various operative procedures and tissue extracts on epinephrine-induced pulmonary edema (EPE) was studied in 338 rabbits. Anesthesia and laparotomy with manipulation of the viscera had a definite protective effect against EPE. Similar effects were obtained with the intraperitoneal injection of a foreign substance or pretreatment with ACTH or adrenal cortex steroids. This protection is believed to be the result of adrenal cortical activation by stress. Splenectomy had a protective effect against EPE which was greater than that of sham operations. The injection of splenic extract in splenectomized animals decreased survival time and increased the severity of the edema, whereas injection of hepatic extract had a less marked effect. Both unilateral and bilateral nephrectomy had a protective effect against EPE.