Pediatric research
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Comparative Study
Intratracheal pulmonary ventilation versus conventional mechanical ventilation in a rabbit model of surfactant deficiency.
Intratracheal pulmonary ventilation (ITPV) enhances the clearance of CO2 from dead space and lungs by a bias flow of gas administered in the distal trachea. ITPV flow is continuously administered through a separate catheter placed within an endotracheal tube (ETT). After exiting from catheter's tip in the distal trachea, the flow of gas is redirected outward away from the lungs. ⋯ Oxygenation and pH were not significantly different between ITPV and CMV. We conclude that, in a surfactant deficiency rabbit model, ITPV is an efficient mode of assisted ventilation that increases CO2 clearance and reduces ventilator pressures required for adequate ventilation. We speculate that ITPV can minimize lung barotrauma associated with mechanical ventilation.