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Administration of drugs via the airway is increasingly practiced in ICU- and surgical patients. For this purpose, aerosols may be produced by either jet nebulization or ultrasonic droplet generation. In mechanically ventilated patients, aerosol delivery is often insufficient. The influence of the ventilatory pattern on nebulizer efficacy is poorly understood. In the present in vitro study we determined the efficacy of a new ultrasonic nebulizer in delivering aerosolized epoprostenol using defined ventilator settings. We determined aerosol delivery rates, the aerosol droplet size distribution and the impact of the connection tubing on drug delivery, applying adult and infant ventilation patterns. Aerosol production rates ranged from 0.28 to 0.57 ml per minute. Using an adult ventilator setting volume controlled ventilation (CMV) led to a higher aerosol production rate than pressure controlled ventilation (PCV) at identical tidal volumes and mean airway pressures (0.57 ml/min,CMV vs 0.39 ml/min, PCV). With an infant ventilator setting, nebulizer rates were lower than those found for the adult ventilator setting, but did not differ substantially between CMV and PCV mode (0.29 ml/min, CMV vs 0.28 ml/min, PCV). Aerosol delivery rates distal to the endotracheal tube changed according to aerosol production rates (adult mode: 0.18 ml/min, CMV vs 0.10 ml/min, PCV; infant mode: 0.03 ml/min, both CMV and PCV). In the infant ventilation mode, a higher percentage of the aerosol was trapped in the catheter mount as compared to the adult ventilation mode. Mass median droplet diameters for each of the four ventilator settings were almost identical (4.63 to 5.09 micron) and smaller than indicated in the product specifications (8 micron). Delivery rates and sizes of droplets delivered by the new ultrasonic nebulizer SUN 345(R) agree well with previously reported data from comparable settings using diverse nebulizer devices.

Perfusion of intestinal organs increases in response to acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH). However, detailed studies on distribution of regional splanchnic organ perfusion during ANH are lacking. We therefore carried out this study to test the hypothesis that ANH does not cause disturbance of physiologic patterns of regional splanchnic organ blood flow. After governmental permission, 22 anesthetized dogs were instrumented to allow invasive hemodynamic measurements and intracardial injection of radioactive microspheres (diameter 15 micro m) for determination of regional organ perfusion. Measurements were made at baseline (hematocrit 37 +/- 3%) and after ANH with 6% hydroxyethyl starch (mol. wt. 200000 / 0.5) to hct 20 +/- 1%. After completion of the protocol, splanchnic organs were removed and dissected into small samples according to anatomical and functional principles. Regional perfusion was determined based on the microsphere content of each sample. Hepatic, intestinal, and pancreatic blood flow increased with ANH. Hepatic arterial blood flow rose by 86%, whereas portal venous perfusion increased by 28%. Small intestine mucosal perfusion was augmented by 68% while the non-mucosal tissue compartment of the gut wall received 32% more blood flow after ANH which is in proportion to the increase in cardiac index after ANH. This redistribution of intestinal flow might be the basis for the preservation of tissue oxygenation during moderate isovolemic anemia.

Hepatorenal perfusion and function were assxssed in 22 dogs undergoing acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) to a hematocrit (Hct) of 20% using 6% hydroxyethyl starch (200.000/0.5) as the diluent. Organ perfusion was determined with the radioactive microspheres method. Renal function was assessed by urinary output, creatinine clearance and fractional sodium excretion. Blood volume as well as hepatic function were derived from indocyanine green (ICG) dilution kinetics. Hepatocellular integrity was determined by serum enzymatic activity of glutamate-oxalacetate-transaminase (GOT) and glutamate-pyruvate- transaminase (GPT). ANH to Hct 20% did not change blood volume and mean aortic pressure, while heart rate was slightly elevated (p0.05) by 5 beats per minute and cardiac output increased by 29% (p0.05). In contrast to the liver, where arterial and portal venous blood flow increased (86% and 28%, respectively; p0.05), total renal blood flow as well as intraorgan distribution of renal blood flow remained unchanged post-ANH. While creatinine clearance remained unchanged following ANH, urinary output and fractional urinary excretion increased (p0.05). In response to enhanced hepatic blood flow after ANH, intravascular half-life of ICG was reduced (p0.05) and ICG clearance increased (p0.05). Serum enzymatic activity of GPT decreased upon ANH (p0.05), while GOT activity remained unchanged. ANH to a Hct 20% does not impair hepatorenal function. Increased urinary output points out the necessity for proper adjustment of crystalloid infusion to maintain normal intravascular volume and avoid hypovolemia and the associated risk of tissue hypoxia.