Single Lung Transplantation for the Treatment of Monocrotaline-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension in the Rat

Hemodynamic effects and plasma endothelin concentra-tion following single lung transplantation for pulmonary hypertension were studied in rats with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension. Inbred male Lewis rats (weight 200-300 g) were divided into two groups. In Group 1 (control group), rats underwent syngeneic left lung trans-plantation. In Group 2, rats received intravenous administra-tion of monocrotaline (80 mg/kg) and 3 weeks later under-went syngeneic left single lung transplantation. Hemo-dynamic evaluations were performed prior to transplan-tation, and one hour, 3 and 7 days after transplantation. The rats were then killed and the heart and lungs were removed to measure the ventricular weight ratio (RV/LV+S), extra-vascular lung water volume (ELWV: dry/wet ratio), and for histologic examination. Mean pulmonary arterial pressur