The use of liquid perfluorocarbons for neonatal lung ventilation

Over the last years, physiological studies have proved that ventilation with a oxygenated liquid perfluorocarbon (PFC) provides effective gas exchange and acid base balance and improves lung function and recovery. Low surface tension and high respiratory gas solubility enable adequate oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal at low insufflation pressure. The elimination of air-liquid interfacial surface tension has recently suggested the adoption of total liquid PFC ventilation as an investigational therapy for severe respiratory distress in human infants. This work is aimed to determine the optimal volumes of PFC to be delivered, the frequency of the ventilatory cycle, the oxygen flow rate and the best circuit set up for neonatal application. The optimisation was obtained through the implementation of a simulation mathematical model of oxygen diffusion in a PFC-ventilated lung and of gas exchange between alveolar environment and pulmonary blood flow. The results show that total liquid ventilation is a valid alternative to traditional gas ventilation, particularly when immature neonates with insufficient or absent production of surfactant are concerned.