Surfactant

Excerpt

Pulmonary surfactant is a lipoprotein complex that lines the alveoli and decreases the surface tension to prevent lung atelectasis. Surfactant deficiency is a documented cause of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in premature infants. Therapeutic indications for surfactant replacement therapy include neonates with clinical and radiographic evidence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and infants who require endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation secondary to respiratory failure. Surfactant is prophylactically administered in neonates at risk of developing NRDS. This activity will discuss the biochemical structure of surfactant, their administration, related complications, and the future of surfactant therapy.