Extravascular lung water after extracellular fluid volume expansion in dogs.

We have compared extravascular lung water after extracellular fluid volume expansion with that predicted from lung sucrose space measured in control dogs. In control lungs mean extravascular water:dry weight ratio was 3.81 +/- 0.16 (SD) (n = 5) and extravascular sucrose space/dry weight was 1.79 +/- 0.45 (n = 4). After acute expansion of extracellular fluid volume by 10% of body weight mean extravascular water:dry lung weight was 4.17 +/- 0.27 (m = 5), less than half the predicted increase to 4.63 +/- 0.19, suggesting some degree of protection. After 20% (n = 4), 30% (n = 2), and 40% (n = 1) expansion, no protection was demonstrated and there was considerable scatter of lung water at each infusion volume. When volume expansion increased pulmonary capillary intravascular forces (due to decreased protein osmotic pressure and increased hydrostatic pressure) by more than 20 cmH2O there was a linear increase in extravascular lung water with increasing intravascular forces. Three dogs did not conform to this relationship and had disproportionately large increases in lung water, possibly due to alveolar flooding.