Partial liquid ventilation distends small airways in a similar way as gas ventilation: a study of pulmonary stretch receptor activity during different pressure waveforms

Objective: We have shown that squarewave pressure waveform strongly inhibits spontaneous inspiratory activity in cats during pressure controlled A/C ventilation (Ehrhardt et al, Crit Care Med, 2001). In studies of PSR activity during ventilation with gas (GV) and during partial liquid ventilation (PLV) no extensive stretching of the lungs was observed during PLV (Rieger-Fackeldey et al, Biol Neonat, 2005). To study the effects of different inspiratory pressure waveforms on pulmonary stretch receptor (PSR) activity during intermittent mandatory ventilation with gas (GV) and with partial liquid (PLV) in young cats…