Pulmonary fluid balance and hemodynamics after perfluorocarbon infusion in the dog lung

Perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsions are promising oxygen-carrying blood supplements for the treatment of shock and in organ preservation for transplantation. We used the isolated, blood-perfused, canine right lower lung lobe (RLL) to determine the effect of a PFC emulsion, Oxypherol (FC-43), upon lung fluid balance and hemodynamics. Eighteen RLLs were divided into three equal groups, one of which was infused with a bovine serum albumin (BSA) solution to 10% of the total perfusate volume, and two of which were infused with Oxypherol to 10% and 20% of the final blood volume, respectively. At 145 min after infusion, there was no significant difference among the three groups in pH, blood gases, and lobar compliance. Arterial pressure and lobar vascular resistance were significantly (p less than .05) greater in the 20% Oxypherol group than in the BSA group. PFC-related changes in lobar permeability were determined by measuring the pulmonary filtration coefficient (Kf), which was not significantly different among groups. Thus, Oxypherol did not increase microvascular permeability (i.e., lung edema).