Objective: To examine the hypothesis that partial liquid ventilation (PLV) with perfluorocarbon would decrease serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations in a rat acid aspiration lung injury model.
Design: Prospective, controlled animal study.
Settings: Research laboratory in a university setting.
Subjects: Male Sprague-Dawley rats.
Interventions: Treatment with intratracheal perflubron or control mechanical ventilation beginning 30 mins after acid aspiration.
Measurements and main results: PLV with perfluorocarbon compared with control ventilation resulted in significantly greater mean arterial blood pressures at 3 and 4 hrs and greater arterial Po2 at all times. Serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha at 2, 3, and 4 hrs was significantly less than that observed in the control group (4-hr values: 80+/-64 pg/mL vs. 658+/-688 pg/mL; p<.05), although no significant difference in tracheal fluid tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations (1425+/-1347 pg/mL vs. 2219+/-1933 pg/mL) was found.
Conclusion: We conclude that the effects of PLV with perfluorocarbon can extend beyond improvements in pulmonary physiology and that PLV may be beneficial in reducing systemic sequelae of acute lung injury and inflammation.