Partial liquid ventilation provides effective gas exchange in a large animal model.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to show the ability of partial liquid ventilation (PLV) to sustain gas exchange in normal large (50 to 70 kg) adult animals.


METHODS
Ten adult sheep (53.7 +/- 2.8 kg) were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated. Sequential dosing of perflubron (LiquiVent, Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp, San Diego, CA) was performed to cumulative doses of 10 mL/kg, 20 mL/kg, 40 mL/kg, and 60 mL/kg. Physiological data were assessed at baseline and after each dose. Five animals were rotated through the left decubitus, right decubitus, supine, and prone positions while five animals remained prone throughout the experiment.


RESULTS
PaO2 and PaCO2 did not change significantly from baseline during administration of perflubron except for the PaO2 in rotated animals when supine (rotated-supine PaO2: baseline = 519 +/- 64 mm Hg; 60 mL/kg = 380 +/- 109 mm Hg, P = .0131). In both groups, static lung compliance (CT) decreased steadily with each successive perflubron instillation (nonrotated CT: baseline = 1.55 +/- 0.22 mL/cm H2O/kg; 60 mL/kg = 0.52 +/- 0.10 ml/cmH2O/kg, P = .0003).


CONCLUSIONS
These data show that during PLV in this normal animal model, effective gas exchange is sustained and CT decreases with increasing perflubron dose.
University of Michigan, Department of Surgery, Ann Arbor, USA.
M C
MC
Overbeck
T
T
Pranikoff
R B
RB
Hirschl
D000818:Animals; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D008170:Lung Compliance / Q000187:drug effects; D011187:Posture; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000187:drug effects*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012756:Sheep
D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; C003072:perflubron