Bronchoscopic surfactant administration preserves gas exchange and pulmonary compliance after single lung transplantation in dogs

Wet-to-dry ratios (top) and extravascular lung water (bottom) in the time course of single lung transplantation. Wet-to-dry ratios of the untreated left recipient lungs (baseline, originating from animals assigned to either the control or the surfactant group), the nontransplanted but Euro-Collins–preserved right donor lung (preserved, assessed at the end of the preservation period), the recipient right native lung (native lung, assessed 12 hours after transplantation), and the transplanted left lung (graft, assessed 12 hours after reperfusion) are given. Values are indicated for the control group (untreated, black column) and the surfactant-treated group (treated, gray column). Extravascular lung water (EVLW) was determined pre– and post–single lung transplantation in animals with (surfactant) or without (control) surfactant administration. n.s., not significant. Mean ± SEM of 6 experiments.

Pao₂/Fio₂ values in the pulmonary venous samples of the transplanted lung (graft, open sqaure) and the recipient's native lung (native, open circle). Data originate from animals receiving (treated, closed circle, closed square) or not receiving (untreated, open circle, open square) surfactant administration (mean ± SEM of 6 lungs each). Significance level is indicated by +P < .05, ++P < .01, or +++P < .001 for comparison between control group and surfactant group.

Dynamic lung compliance in animals undergoing single lung transplantation, analyzed separately for the transplanted lung (graft, open square) and the recipient's native lung (native, open circle). Data originate from animals receiving (treated, closed circle, closed square) or not receiving (untreated, open circle, open square) surfactant administration (mean ± SEM of 6 lungs each). Significance level is indicated by +P < .05, ++P < .01, or +++P < .001) for comparison between control group and surfactant group.

Correlation of Pao₂/Fio₂ values with surface activity, as assessed with the pulsating bubble surfactometer. Given are the data pairs of the controls and the graft in absence of surfactant therapy. BALF samples were taken from the control group prior transplantation and 6 and 12 hours after reperfusion respectively.