Treatment of ventilation-induced lung injury with exogenous surfactant

Objective: It has been demonstrated that pulmonary surfactant plays a role in the pathophysiology of ventilation-induced lung injury (VILI). Therefore, we investigated whether exogenous surfactant might restore lung function and lung mechanics in an established model of VILI. Design: Prospective, randomized, animal study. Setting: Experimental laboratory of a university. Subjects: Twenty-four adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Interventions: First, a group of six animals were killed immediately after induction of anesthesia and used as healthy controls. Then, in 18 rats, VILI was induced by increasing peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) to 45 cmH2O without positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) for 20 min. Thereafter, animals were randomly divided into three groups of six animals each: one group was killed immediately after VILI and served as VILI-control. In the other two groups, ventilator settings were changed to a PIP of 30 cmH2O and a PEEP of 10 cmH2O, and a respiratory rate of 40 bpm. One group received a bolus of surfactant and the other group received no treatment. Measurements and results: Blood gas tension and arterial blood pressures were recorded every 30 min for 2 h. After the study period, a pressure-volume curve was recorded. Then, a broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) was performed to determine protein content, minimal surface tension, and surfactant composition in the BAL fluid. Oxygenation, lung mechanics, surfactant function and composition were significantly improved in the surfactant-treated group compared to the ventilated and non-ventilated control groups. Conclusion: We conclude that exogenous surfactant can be used to treat VILI.