Dilute surfactant or isolated surfactant protein solution for the reduction of surface tension in the lung

Abstract

In permeability lung edema, cardiogenic lung edema or neonatal respiratory distress, there is heterogeneous liquid distribution throughout the lungs. The excess alveolar liquid reduces gas exchange. Mechanical ventilation is used to improve gas exchange. In the presence of heterogeneous liquid distribution, there are surface tension-dependent stress concentrations in septa separating aerated from flooded alveoli. Mechanical ventilation, by inflating the lung above normal volumes, thus increasing surface tension above normal, exacerbates the stress concentrations and consequently injures, or exacerbates pre-existing injury of, the alveolar-capillary barrier. Any means of lowering surface tension should lessen ventilation injury of the lung. In the present invention, dilute exogenous surfactant solution or surfactant protein C solution interacts with albumin to lower surface tension, likely through effective promotion of surfactant lipid adsorption. Dilute surfactant or SP-C solution could be administered via either the trachea or the vasculature. Either solution could be delivered in the absence or presence of albumin or alternative facilitating solute, to lower surface tension and lessen ventilation injury of the heterogeneously flooded lung.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.