Lung lavage with oxygenated perfluorochemical liquid in acute lung injury

Objective: To investigate the effects of lung lavage with oxygenated liquid perfluorochemical on gas exchange, lung mechanics, and cardiac function in animals with acute lung injury. Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Setting: Animal laboratory. Subjects: Eight adult cats (2 to 4 kg, random sex). Interventions: Two insults were combined to cause lung injury: oleic acid infusion and saline whole-lung wash. Animals were assigned to either the control or treatment group which consisted of a perfluorochemical liquid (Rimar 101) lavage. Perfluorochemical liquid lavage was performed three times at hourly intervals after lung injury. Three other cats with identical injury but no perfluorochemical liquid lavage served as control animals. All cats were ventilated with an FIO₂ of 0.95 and positive end-expiratory pressure of 2 cm H₂O continuously. Measurements and Main Results: Arterial blood gas tensions and pH, dynamic pulmonary compliance were measured at 15-min intervals. Cardiac index was assessed hourly, and lung fluid was collected after each of the three perfluorochemical liquid lavages. Arterial oxygen tension and pulmonary compliance deteriorated abruptly after lung injury in all cats, and improved significantly (p < .001, two-way analysis of variance) 15 mins after perfluorochemical liquid lavage. These parameters gradually returned to their baseline over 60 mins. Arterial blood pressure and cardiac index decreased after injury in all cats, and were not significantly changed after perfluorochemical liquid lavage. Hemorrhagic fluid was recovered from distal airways by perfluorochemical liquid lavage, despite prior suctioning of the airway. Conclusions: Perfluorochemical liquid lavage removes pulmonary edema fluid and improves gas exchange and the mechanical properties of the lung, after acute severe lung injury.