Which of the following is incorrect about near-drowning?
A. Sterile water was found to be the most disruptive of pulmonary function.
B. Freshwater acts partly by inactivating surfactant in the alveoli.
C. Hypertonic seawater may draw additional fluid from the plasma into the alveoli, thereby causing pulmonary edema despite a decreased intravascular volume.
D. Hypertonic seawater does not damage type II pneumocytes.
Answer: D
Freshwater and saline solutions cause their adverse pulmonary effects by different mechanisms.
Sterile water was found to be the most disruptive of pulmonary function.
Hypertonic seawater may damage the type II pneumocytes by hypoxic and osmotic effects.
Reference
Irwin and Rippe’s Intensive Care Medicine 5th edition (January 2003): By Richard S., Md. Irwin (Editor), James M., Md. Rippe (Editor), Herbert P. Goodheart By Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Publishers