Bilateral lavage with diluted surfactant improves lung function after unilateral lung contusion in pigs.

Objective: This study evaluates the effects of bronchoalveolar lavage with diluted surfactant on unilateral lung contusion-induced lung dysfunction.

Design: Randomized prospective animal study.

Setting: An animal laboratory.

Early mechanical ventilation is deleterious after aspiration-induced lung injury in rabbits.

We investigated whether mechanical ventilation after aspiration is deleterious when started before surfactant therapy. Gas exchange and lung mechanics were measured in rabbits after aspiration either mechanically ventilated before or after lavage with diluted surfactant or Ringer's solution. Lung injury was induced by intratracheal instillation of 2 mL/kg of a betain/HCl pepsin mixture.