COMPARISON OF NATURAL SURFACTANT AND BRIEF LIQUID VENTILATION RESCUE TREATMENT IN VERY IMMATURE LAMBS - CLINICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CORRELATES

We studied the effect of rescue therapy with modified porcine surfacta nt (Curosurf(R)) or brief perfluorocarbon liquid ventilation on pulmon ary gas exchange, mechanics and structure in very immature lambs. Both rescue strategies produced an improvement in arterial oxygenation and were able to support CO2 elimination. Histology showed unevenly infla ted lungs in all but tidal-liquid-ventilated lambs. We speculate that due to immature lung architecture and relatively high permeability, pr evious exposure to gas ventilation impeded full effectiveness of both rescue modalities, perhaps prophylactic surfactant or liquid ventilati on could be a better alternative.