Liquid ventilation in adults, children, and full-term neonates.
We evaluated the safety and efficacy of partial liquid ventilation in a series of 19 adults, children, and neonates who were in respiratory failure and on extracorporeal life support. During partial liquid ventilation, the alveolar-arterial oxygen difference decreased from 590 (SE 25) to 471 (42) mm Hg (p = 0.0002) and static pulmonary compliance increased from 0.18 (0.04) to 0.29 (0.04) mL cm H2O-1 kg-1 (p = 0.0002). 11 patients (58%) survived. These preliminary data suggest that partial liquid ventilation can be safely used in patients with severe respiratory failure and may improve lung function.
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008170:Lung Compliance; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000628:therapy*; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*
D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; C003072:perflubron