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Therapeutic Lung Lavage in the Piglet Model of Meconium Aspiration Syndrome

Departments of Neonatology, Anatomical Pathology, and Radiology, Royal Children's Hospital; and Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia

Correspondence and requests for reprints should be addressed to Peter Dargaville, M.D., Department of Neonatology, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. E-mail: peter.dargaville{at}rch.org.au

Therapeutic lung lavage is an emerging treatment for meconium aspiration syndrome. Our objective was to investigate the type of fluid and aliquot volume most appropriate for lung lavage in this condition. Meconium injury was induced in 2-week-old piglets, followed by a 30 ml/kg lavage in two aliquots 40 minutes later. Lavage with either dilute bovine surfactant (2.5 mg/ml) or a perfluorocarbon emulsion (20% wt/vol) improved oxygenation compared with a nonlavaged control group, but only with dilute surfactant was there a sustained improvement in oxygenation (alveolar–arterial oxygen difference at 5 hours: dilute surfactant 250 mm Hg; perfluorocarbon emulsion 460 mm Hg; controls 460 mm Hg; p = 0.0031). There was histologic and biochemical evidence of decreased lung injury in the dilute surfactant group. In a further study, 30 ml/kg dilute surfactant lavage was performed 40 minutes after meconium injury using either two aliquots of 15 ml/kg, or multiple 3-ml aliquots. Aliquot volume of 15 ml/kg was associated with increased meconium removal, better post-lavage lung function, and less lung injury. Dilute surfactant lavage using two 15-ml/kg aliquots is an effective therapy in the piglet model of meconium aspiration, and should be evaluated in human infants with this condition.

Key Words: meconium aspiration syndrome • pulmonary surfactants • pulmonary lavage • perfluorocarbon

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