New perfluorocarbon emulsion improves tissue oxygenation in cat retina

We have studied the conditions under which a perfluorocarbon emulsion of perfluorooctyl bromide (PFOB; Alliance Pharmaceutical, San Diego, CA) enhances tissue O2 delivery. Measurements of retinal tissue O2 tension (PO2) were made in anesthetized, artificially respirated, dark-adapted, normovolemic cats before, during, and after the infusion of three successive doses of 1 g PFOB/kg body wt each. There was little immediate effect of the infusion on the tissue PO2 when the cats were breathing room air, but the mean increase in tissue PO2 during 100% O2 breathing was 60 +/- 9% (SE; n = 8 cats) greater after infusion of 1 g PFOB/kg and approximately 136% greater after 3 g PFOB/kg. Similar infusions of the emulsifying medium alone had negligible effects on tissue PO2. These results suggest that PFOB emulsion may be clinically useful in treating tissue hypoxia in normovolemic patients breathing O2-enriched air.