The effect of heparin on the early resolution of pulmonary emboli in the dog

An experimental model has been developed to study the effect of heparin on pulmonary emboli in the dog. This has demonstrated that emboli impacted in the “lobar” arteries of the dog's lung lose an appreciable amount of their weight in 24 hours, and that this weight loss remains the same despite adequate anti-coagulation with heparin. Massive emboli lodging in the main pulmonary artery have their weight loss at 24 hours approximately doubled by heparin. The implications of these results in the behaviour of pulmonary emboli in the human are discussed.