Surfactant for Hydrocarbon Aspiration

I’ve seen surfactant administered for alveolar collapse following near-drowning, but this is a case report regarding surfactant use in severe pneumonitis after low viscosity/low volatility lamp oil.  Less than 1mL of similar aspirated hydrocarbons may result in significant lung injury.  In their specific case they administered 80 mL/m2 of surfactant intratracheally as rescue therapy when their patient continued to become hypoxemic despite recruitment maneuvers on mechanical ventilation.

Definitely something to keep in mind depending on the pathophysiology of the lung injury.

“Early administration of intratracheal surfactant (Calfactant) after hydrocarbon aspiration.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21624880