American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology
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Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. · Apr 2000
Comparative StudyPartial liquid ventilation with perfluorocarbon in acute lung injury: light and transmission electron microscopy studies.
Liquid ventilation using perfluorocarbon has been shown to improve gas exchange in animal models of acute lung injury as well as in children with acute respiratory distress syndrome. This study was designed to define structural features of lung injury following partial liquid ventilation (PLV) using light and transmission electron microscopy in a rabbit model of acute respiratory distress. Animals were treated with either conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV-gas) (n = 6) or PLV (n = 5) for 4 h after the induction of acute lung injury with saline lavage. ⋯ Fluorescence microscopy analysis shows fewer type II alveolar epithelial cells in the CMV group and brighter type II cells in the PLV group. Transmission electron microscopy studies show more alveolar wall damage in the CMV group, with type II cells detached from their basement membrane with fewer surfactant-containing lamellar bodies. We conclude that quantitative histologic analysis shows less lung damage and inflammation when perfluorocarbon is combined with CMV in the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome.