A 14 month old child was referred for management of acute respiratory
distress syndrome after aspiration of paraffin lamp oil. Initial manag
ement with conventional ventilation and subsequent management with hig
h frequency oscillatory ventilation produced pulmonary air leaks, furt
her compromising clinical management. After initiating extracorporeal
life support and low pressure ventilation, pulmonary air leaks subside
d. The patient was then successfully managed by a protocol including p
artial liquid ventilation with perfluorocarbon. This case report detai
ls the authors' experience with the first child with respiratory failu
re to be managed with partial liquid ventilation while on extracorpore
al life support.