EFFECTS OF PARTIAL LIQUID VENTILATION AND INHALED NITRIC OXIDE IN PIGLETS WITH MECONIUM ASPIRATION. † 1453

Partial liquid ventilation (PLV) may shortly be used for infants with meconium aspiration (MAS). We studied the effects of PLV and inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) over 4 h in a newborn piglet MAS model. 24 piglets were anesthetized, and instrumented for monitoring pulmonary arterial pressure(PAP) cardiac output by thermodilution, pulmonary functions. The agent used was Perfluorodecalin[C₁₀F₁₈] (MultifluorR; Air Products and Chemicals Inc). Post instillation of meconium acidotic and hypoxic piglets (1-4 d age, 1-2 kg wt) were randomly assigned to 4 groups: Control Conventional positive pressure ventilation with 100% O2; iNO Conventional ventilation with 100% O2 + 40ppm NO; PLV FRC filled with perfluorodecalin, ventilated with 100%02; PLV+INO PLV + 40ppm NO. Results: Mean (SD) after meconium [Pre] and at 4 h [Post].*=p<0.05 cf control. 3 control piglets died nearing the end of the study, all others survived. PLV improved mechanics, oxygenation and ventilation, iNO improved oxygenation. PAP stayed high in PLV groups despite improved gas exchange. Improvements in the PLV groups were gradual over the 4 hours of the study, longer term investigations are required.Table

Table 1