A comparison of the effects of desflurane and isoflurane on rat pulmonary parenchyme histopathology and malondialdehyde levels

Objective: To evaluate the lipid peroxidation and pulmonary histopathology after desflurane and isoflurane anaesthesia in rats.Methods: The study was conducted in the faculty of Veterinary Medicine Animal Laboratories, Ankara University, between January and December 2009. Twenty-four Wistar-Albino rats were studied and classified randomly into three equal groups. The control group (n=8) was made to inhale 50% O2 for 60 minutes; the isoflurane group (n=8) received 50% O2+1.2% isoflurane for 60 minutes; and the desflurane group (n=8) was given 50% O2+6% desflurane, again for 60 minutes. As the sham group, one rat was sacrificed via intracardiac blood aspiration. Rat pulmonary tissue parenchyma samples were evaluated for peribronchial inflammatory infiltration, alveolar septal infiltration, alveolar oedema, exudation, alveolar histiocyte and tissue malondialdehyde levels.Results: When compared with the control group, peribronchial inflammatory infiltration levels were found to be considerably high in the desflurane and isoflurane groups (p= 0.0031). In addition, the alveolar hystiocytes were much higher in the desflurane group than in the control group (p 0.05). Tissue malondialdehyde levels were found to be significantly higher in both groups than in the control group.Conclusion: Desflurane significantly increased pulmonary inflammation more than isoflurane in rat pulmonary parenchyma that indicates an inflammatory response. Besides, it was determined that the significantly higher malondialdehyde levels in both the desflurane and the isoflurane groups resulted in an increase in the membrane lipid peroxidation via volatile anaesthetics