Effect of PEEP on regional ventilation and perfusion in the mechanically ventilated preterm lamb

Improvement of gas exchange through closer matching of regional ventilation (V) and lung perfusion (Q) with the application of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) was evaluated in vivo in six mechanically ventilated preterm lambs (107-126 days/145 days gestation). Changes in V and Q were determined from in vivo scintigraphic measurements in four lung regions with inhaled radioactive 81mKr, and infused 81mKr/dextrose and/or [99mTc]MAA as PEEP was applied at 2, 4, and 6 cm H2O in each animal. Dynamic compliance varied between 0.02 and 0.40 ml/cm H2O, which was consistent with surfactant deficiency. As PEEP was increased, the regional distribution of Q shifted from the rostral to the caudal lung regions (p less than 0.02 to less than 0.05), while that of V remained unchanged. Regional V/Q matching improved together with a trend towards improvement of arterial blood gases as PEEP was increased from 2 to 4 cm H2O. Pulmonary scintigraphy offers a noninvasive methodology for the quantitative assessment of regional V and Q matching in preterm lambs and may be clinically applicable to ventilated neonates.