Partial liquid ventilation decreases serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations in a rat acid aspiration lung injury model

Objective: To examine the hypothesis that partial liquid ventilation (PLV) with perfluorocarbon would decrease serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha conce ntrations in a rat acid aspiration lung injury model, Design: Prospective, controlled animal study. Settings: Research laboratory in a university setting, Subjects: Male Sprague-Dawley rats, interventions: Treatment with intratrac heal perflubron or control mechanical ventilation beginning 30 mins after a cid aspiration, Measurements and Main Results: PLV with perfluorocarbon compared with contr ol ventilation resulted in significantly greater mean arterial blood pressu res at 3 and 4 hrs and greater arterial PO2 at all times. Serum tumor necro sis factor-alpha at 2, 3, and 4 was significantly less than that observed i n the control group (4-hr values: 80 +/- 4 pg/mL vs. 658 +/- 688 pg/mL; p < .05), although no significant difference in tracheal fluid tumor necrosis factor-or concentrations (1425 +/- 1347 pg/mL vs. 2219 +/- 1933 pg/mL) was found. Conclusion: We conclude that the effects of PLV with perfluorocarbon can ex tend beyond improvements in pulmonary physiology and that PLV may be benefi cial in reducing systemic sequelae of acute lung injury and inflammation.