Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 30, 2026
Oleic Acid-Injection in Pigs As a Model for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Published on: October 26, 2018
Changes in pulmonary function and oxygenation during application of perfluorocarbon vapor in healthy and oleic
Jörg U Bleyl1, Maximilian Ragaller, Uwe Tschö
1Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Technical University, Dresden, Germany. bleyl@rcs.urz.tu-dresden.de
Objectives:
To investigate the changes in pulmonary function and gas exchange during application of 18% perfluorohexane vapor in healthy and in oleic acid-injured animals and compare it with an injured control group.
Design:
Prospective randomized controlled study.
Setting:
Experimental research laboratory at a university medical center.
Subjects:
Nineteen sheep weighing 31.4 +/- 4.1 kg.
Interventions:
Lung injury was induced in 14 sheep by the intravenous injection of 0.1 mL/kg oleic acid. After establishment of lung injury (PaO(2)/F(IO(2)) ratio, <200; pulmonary artery occlusion pressure, <19 torr), seven animals were treated with 18% perfluorohexane vapor for 30 mins whereas seven animals served as controls. After the start of perfluorohexane treatment, blood gases and respiratory and hemodynamic data were collected in 10-min intervals throughout the study period of 1 hr. In addition, five healthy animals received perfluorohexane vapor for 30 mins and were followed up for 2 hrs to exclude delayed negative effects.
Measurements And Main Results:
Treatment of healthy animals with 18% perfluorohexane vapor was not accompanied by any significant adverse effects. It was associated with a significant decrease of alveolar-arterial oxygen difference during perfluorohexane application (p <.05). In injured animals, 18% perfluorohexane led to a sustained improvement of peak inspiratory pressures within 10 mins of treatment (p <.001). The concomitant increase in compliance was equally significant (p <.001). Significant improvements in PaO(2) occurred despite a decrease in F(IO(2)) to 0.81 at the end of vaporization.
Conclusion:
Healthy animals tolerated perfluorohexane vapor well without significant changes in oxygenation and mechanical lung function for 2 hrs. In injured animals, application of perfluorohexane vapor primarily improved peak inspiratory pressure and compliance. The increase of oxygenation therefore could be secondary to an improvement in compliance.
