Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2026

Lavage-induced Surfactant Depletion in Pigs As a Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
Published on: September 7, 2016
Surfactant replacement therapy
1Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, USA. rspragg@ucsd.edu
Abstract:
Dysfunction of the surfactant system of the lung in the setting of acute lung injury (ALI) is likely to contribute to the pathophysiology of that syndrome. Multiple mechanisms, including injury to alveolar type II cells and inhibition by plasma proteins contribute to this loss of function. Similar injury occurs in animal models of acute lung injury and, in that setting, treatment with exogenous surfactant causes marked improvement in gas exchange. Clinical studies of surfactant treatment of ALI suggest benefit, and definitive phase III trials are now in progress.
Related Concept Videos
Breathing
Cystic Fibrosis: Management
Sinus disease and chronic sinusitis...
Pulmonary Cycle: Exhalation
Acute Respiratory Failure-V
Ensure that patients are monitored continuously for their response to therapy, including changes in...
Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease

