Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 29, 2026

Intratracheal Instillation of Stem Cells in Term Neonatal Rats
Published on: May 4, 2020
The future of exogenous surfactant therapy
Douglas F Willson1, Robert H Notter
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia Children's Hospital, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908-0386, USA. dfw4m@virginia.edu
Pulmonary surfactant therapy is effective for infant respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) but less so for acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to complex pathophysiology. Further research into surfactant composition and delivery is needed for ALI/ARDS treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary physiology
- Critical care medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Pulmonary surfactant's role in infant respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is well-established.
- Surfactant replacement is standard for neonatal lung injury.
- Its efficacy in acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is less clear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the complexities of surfactant therapy in ALI/ARDS.
- To explore reasons for its limited success beyond neonatal populations.
- To identify future research directions for optimizing surfactant treatment.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing animal and human studies on exogenous surfactant therapy.
- Analysis of factors influencing surfactant efficacy in different lung injury models.
- Synthesis of data regarding drug composition, dosing, and delivery.
Main Results:
- Exogenous surfactant is effective in RDS but shows inconsistent results in ALI/ARDS.
- Surfactant dysfunction and inhibition, not just deficiency, complicate ALI/ARDS.
- Direct lung injuries may respond better than indirect injuries to surfactant therapy.
Conclusions:
- Current pharmaceutical surfactants and delivery methods are inadequate for ALI/ARDS.
- Further animal studies are required to refine drug composition, timing, delivery, and dosing.
- Development of improved surfactants may hold future promise for ALI/ARDS treatment.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Breathing
Acute Respiratory Failure-V
Ensure that patients are monitored continuously for their response to therapy, including changes in...
Cystic Fibrosis: Management
Sinus disease and chronic sinusitis...
Upper Respiratory Drugs: Antitussives, Expectorants, and Mucolytics
Antitussives include codeine, dextromethorphan (Robitussin), and benzonatate (Tessalon). Codeine and dextromethorphan exert their effects centrally by suppressing the cough reflex center in the medulla. Benzonatate operates peripherally within the respiratory tract by anesthetizing...
Pulmonary Cycle: Exhalation

