Therapy to reduce the damaging effects of mechanical ventilation

What is it about?

A supportive measure for people with severe breathing problems due to, for example, an infection, is to use a mechanical ventilator help getting air in and out of the lung. This procedure helps get oxygen into the blood and is essential for the survival of these critically ill patients. Unfortunately, despite being essential, mechanical ventilation can also damage the lungs and actually make the lung damage worse. In this study, we used an animal model to mimic the injury induced by mechanical ventilation and evaluated a therapy that limits this injury. Specifically, we demonstrated that a aerosolized form of exogenous surfactant (a drug normally used in premature infants) was capable of reducing lung damage.

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Why is it important?

The current pandemic of COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of mechanical ventilators in patients with severe lung dysfunction. Being able to limit the damage of mechanical ventilation while maintaining the beneficial impact of allowing oxygen to get into the blood may help patients that require this intervention.

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