Cerebral blood flow during partial liquid ventilation in surfactant-deficient lungs under varying ventilation strategies.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that cerebral and other regional organ blood flow would be maintained during partial liquid ventilation (PLV) in an animal model of acute lung injury during different ventilation strategies. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized study. SETTING: Animal research facility. SUBJECTS: Sixteen piglets, 2 to 4 wks of age. INTERVENTIONS: Severe lung injury was induced in infant piglets by repeated saline lavage and high tidal volume ventilation. Animals were then randomized to either conventional volume-controlled ventilation or PLV. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Organ blood flow was determined in both groups using radiolabeled microspheres under four conditions: high mean airway pressure, Paw; high Paco(2), high Paw; normal Paco(2); low Paw, high Paco(2); low Paw, normal Paco(2). There were no differences in cerebral blood flow during conventional ventilation and PLV, regardless of ventilation strategy. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest in an acute lung injury model, PLV does not affect cerebral blood flow or other regional organ blood flow over a range of airway pressures.