Improvement of gas exchange through closer matching of regional ventilation (V) and lung perfusion (Q) with the application of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) was evaluated in vivo in six mechanically ventilated preterm lambs (107-126 days/145 days gestation). Changes in V and Q were determined from in vivo scintigraphic measurements in four lung regions with inhaled radioactive 81mKr, and infused 81mKr/dextrose and/or [99mTc]MAA as PEEP was applied at 2, 4, and 6 cm H2O in each animal. Dynamic compliance varied between 0.02 and 0.40 ml/cm H2O, which was consistent with surfactant deficiency. As PEEP was increased, the regional distribution of Q shifted from the rostral to the caudal lung regions (p less than 0.02 to less than 0.05), while that of V remained unchanged. Regional V/Q matching improved together with a trend towards improvement of arterial blood gases as PEEP was increased from 2 to 4 cm H2O. Pulmonary scintigraphy offers a noninvasive methodology for the quantitative assessment of regional V and Q matching in preterm lambs and may be clinically applicable to ventilated neonates.
Animals Animals, Newborn