Method for administering surfactant to the lungs while concurrently providing one-lung ventilation

Abstract

A method of administering a liquid pharmaceutical formulation, particularly a surfactant formulation, to at least one lung of a subject in need of such treatment is disclosed. The method is carried out while the subject has a breathing tube extending through the subject's mouth and larynx, and while ventilating at least one lung of the subject through the breathing tube. The method comprises simultaneously administering the liquid pharmaceutical formulation down the breathing tube and into at least one lung of the subject and ventilating at least one lung of the subject through the breathing tube. The method may be performed on premature infants to combat respiratory distress syndrome. A preferred apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention comprises a breathing tube configured for insertion through a subject's mouth and larynx, a ventilating apparatus operatively associated with the breathing tube, and an injecting device such as a syringe operatively associated with the breathing tube for introducing a liquid pharmaceutical formulation into the breathing tube.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.