Fig. 8: Histological and biochemical analysis.

a An excessive amount of the bronchial electrode (5 ml) was injected intentionally into the lung. b Almost no residual bronchial electrode was noted on the fluoroscopic findings at the 12-week follow-up. c After harvesting the lung at the 12-week follow-up, histology findings show only mild inflammation in situ along the residual bronchial electrode particle.H&E staining was used in histopathologic features. d Conducted an experiment with 8 pigs from baseline to 4 weeks and 6 pigs from baseline to 12 weeks. Serial blood test results showed no significant change in liver function (AST, ALT, LDH), blood components (Hb: hemoglobin, WBC: white blood cells, Platelets), and electrolytes (Na+, K+, Ca: calcium). Most serum creatinine values were within the normal range of porcine serum creatinine (0.75–2.12 mg/dl)²⁵ except for one case of high serum creatinine (2.2 mg/dl) at baseline. e, f, g, h Negligible gallium and indium concentrations were observed in the subjects’ blood samples. (5 ml of E-GaIn each in subject #13, 14, 3 ml in subject #15, 3 ml with intentional pressurized injection of E-Gain into alveolar space in subject #16, and 1 ml in subject #17 (n = 5), 3.3 ml in subject #18, 0.45 ml in subject #19, 1.42 ml in subject #20 (n = 3)), The serum gallium and indium concentrations were almost negligible (≤0.03 μg/ml for Gallium and ≤0.0016 μg/ml for indium) and serum gallium concentration peaked within 2 weeks and stabilized after 4 weeks, regardless of the total amount of bronchial electrodes. h The changes in serum creatinine (peak—baseline serum creatinine during follow-up) were not correlated with ‘average serum gallium concentration’ (n = 8, r = 0.4, p = 0.3).