Effect of High-Frequency Oscillation on Gas Exchange and Pulmonary Phospholipids in Experimental Hyaline Membrane Disease1–3

Arterial Po2 and Pco2 obtained with 2 modes of mechanical ventilation were compared in 5 premature monkeys with hyaline membrane disease (HMD) during the first 7 h of life. High-frequency oscillation (HFO) (10 Hertz) was compared with conventional positive-pressure ventilation (CMV) by matching the mean airway pressure generated by the 2 systems. Each animal served as its own control; HFO sustained an improved Paco2 (39 ± 8 versus 25 ± 7 mmHg). An insignificant improvement in arterial P02 was noted. The improved C02 exchange occurred with a lower peak airway pressure (35 ± 4 versus 23 ± 11 cm H2O). Comparison of the postmortem pressure-volume curves and lung and lavage phospholipid concentrations from the animals treated with HFO in the current study to a matched set of animals treated exclusively with CMV in a previous study failed to reveal any differences. We conclude that HFO is effective in eliminating CO2in experimental HMD without apparently altering lung biochemical or mechanical properties in a m...