Effect of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation on the upper airways of kittens.
BACKGROUND
High-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) has become the preferred method of ventilation for the fragile lungs of neonates and infants because its beneficial effects on lungs are well known; however, its benefits on upper airways are not yet known. We investigated the effects of HFOV and conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) on the airways of kittens with normal lungs.


METHODS
Ten healthy cross-bred kittens, 2-3-months-old, with a mean bodyweight of 0.98 kg, were randomly divided into two groups: HFOV and CMV. Kittens were intubated and ventilated for 24 h. A semiquantitative scoring system was used to grade histopathological tissue changes in the cricoid, mid-trachea, carina and left bonchus. The injury scores of the two groups were ranked and compared using a two-tailed Mann-Whitney rank test.


RESULTS
Histopathologic changes were similar and mild in both groups under light microscopic examination. There was no significant difference in airway injury between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that, in this animal model, HFOV results in minimal airway damage when properly managed and causes no greater tracheobronchial injury than CMV.
Liu
D
D
National Children's Medical Research Center and the Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, National Children's Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Miyasaka
K
K
Nakagawa
S
S
Hashizume
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002415:Cats; D006612:High-Frequency Ventilation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology; D055370:Lung Injury; D023421:Models, Animal; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors