Meconium aspiration induces a concentration-dependent pulmonary hypertensive response in newborn piglets

To investigate the effects of aspirating different meconium concentrations on the pulmonary circulation in 10- to 12-day-old piglets, 30 catheterized animals were studied. The piglets received an intratracheal bolus of 3 ml/kg of a mixture of human meconium in saline with concentrations of 20 mg/ml (light, n = 7), 40 mg/ml (moderate, n = 6), or 65 mg/ml (thick, n = 10) meconium in saline. Control piglets (n = 7) received 3 ml/kg of intratracheal saline. Pulmonary and systemic pressures were measured and vascular resistances calculated at baseline and serially for 4 hours after instillation. Four of the piglets died early and were excluded from the study. In addition, 23 samples of human meconium-stained amniotic fluid were collected at delivery for determination of their meconium concentration. After an initial rise in pulmonary artery pressure and vascular resistance after meconium and saline instillation, pulmonary artery pressure and resistance increased progressively and concentration-dependently in the meconium groups, but returned to baseline in the control group. The saline and meconium-induced initial increases, and the subsequent meconium-stimulated progressive rise in vascular resistance occurred mainly in the postarterial segment. There were no significant changes in systemic hemodynamics. Mean airway pressure increased and oxygenation deteriorated after meconium instillation. The impairment of oxygenation depended on the meconium concentration in the instilled bolus and persisted throughout the study after moderate and thick meconium instillation. Similarly, the intrapulmonary shunt fraction increased initially and remained elevated in the moderate and thick meconium groups. Meconium concentrations in the human amniotic fluid samples were in the same range as concentrations used in the present experimental study. These results indicate that aspirated meconium at concentrations found in light to moderate meconium-stained human amniotic fluid has significant effects on pulmonary hemodynamic and oxygenation in newborn piglets.