BACKGROUNDPulmonary surfactant dysfunction may contribute to the development of ventilator induced lung injury (VILI). Tracheal gas insufflation (TGI) is a technique in which fresh gas is introduced into the trachea and augment ventilation by reducing the dead space of ventilatory system, reducing ventilatory pressures and tidal volume (V(T)) while maintaining constant partial arterial CO2 pressure (PaCO(2)). We hypothesised that TGI limited peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) and V(T) and would minimize conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) induced pulmonary surfactant dysfunction and thereby attenuate VILI in rabbits with acute lung injury (ALI).

METHODSALI was induced by intratracheal administration of lipopolysaccharide in anaesthetized, ventilated healthy adult rabbits randomly assigned to continuous TGI at 0.5 L/min (TGI group) or CMV group (n = 8 for each group), and subsequently ventilated with limited PIP and V(T) to maintain PaCO(2) within 35 to 45 mmHg for 4 hours. Physiological dead space to V(T) ratio (V(D)/V(T)), dynamic respiratory compliance (Cdyn) and partial arterial O(2) pressure (PaO(2)) were monitored. After ventilation, lungs were analysed for total phospholipids (TPL), total proteins (TP), pulmonary surfactant small to large aggregates ratio (SA/LA) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and for determination of alveolar volume density (V(V)), myeloperoxidase and interleukin (IL)-8.

RESULTSTGI resulted in significant (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) decrease in PIP [(22.4 +/- 1.8) cmH2O vs (29.5 +/- 1.1) cmH2O], V(T) [(6.9 +/- 1.3) ml/kg vs (9.8 +/- 1.11) ml/kg], V(D)/V(T) [(32 +/- 5)% vs (46 +/- 2)%], TP [(109 +/- 22) mg/kg vs (187 +/- 25) mg/kg], SA/LA (2.5 +/- 0.4 vs 5.4 +/- 0.7), myeloperoxidase [(6.2 +/- 0.5) U/g tissue vs (12.3 +/- 0.8) U/g tissue] and IL-8 [(987 +/- 106) ng/g tissue vs (24 +/- 3) mN/m] of BALF, and significant (P < 0.05) increase in Cdyn [(0.47 +/- 0.02) ml.cmH2O(-1).kg(-1) vs (0.31 +/- 0.02) ml.cmH2O(-1).kg(-1)], PaO(2) [(175 +/- 24) mmHg vs (135 +/- 26) mmHg], TPL/TP (52 +/- 8 vs 33 +/- 11) and Vv (0.65 +/- 0.05 vs 0.44 +/- 0.07) as compared with CMV.

CONCLUSIONSIn this animal model of ALI, TGI decreased ventilatory requirements (PIP, V(T) and V(D)/V(T)), resulted in more favourable alveolar pulmonary surfactant composition and function and less severity of lung injury than CMV. TGI in combination with pressure limited ventilation may be a lung protective strategy for ALI.

Animals ; Insufflation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; instrumentation ; Lung ; pathology ; Pressure ; Pulmonary Surfactants ; analysis ; Rabbits ; Respiration, Artificial ; methods ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; therapy ; Tidal Volume ; Trachea ; physiopathology

PURPOSE: For patients with neuromuscular disease, air stacking, which inflates the lungs to deep volumes, is important for many reasons. However, neuromuscular patients with severe glottic dysfunction or indwelling tracheostomy tubes cannot air stack effectively. For these patients, we developed a device that permits deep lung insufflations substituting for glottic function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with bulbar-innervated muscle weakness and/or tracheostomies were recruited. Twenty-three had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and 14 were tetraplegic patients due to cervical spinal cord injury. An artificial external glottic device (AEGD) was used to permit passive deep lung insufflation. In order to confirm the utility of AEGD, vital capacity, maximum insufflation capacity (MIC), and lung insufflation capacity (LIC) with AEGD (LICA) were measured. RESULTS: For 30 patients, MICs were initially zero. However, with the use of the AEGD, LICA was measurable for all patients. The mean LICA was 1,622.7+/-526.8 mL. Although MIC was measurable for the remaining 7 patients without utilizing the AEGD, it was significantly less than LICA, which was 1,084.3+/-259.9 mL and 1,862.9+/-248 mL, respectively (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The AEGD permits lung insufflation by providing deeper lung volumes than possible by air stacking.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Flow Rates/physiology ; Humans ; Insufflation/*instrumentation/methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuromuscular Diseases/*physiopathology/therapy ; *Ventilators, Mechanical ; Vital Capacity/physiology ; Young Adult