Intravenous perfluorocarbon emulsion increases nitrogen washout after venous gas emboli in rabbits.

Intravenous perfluorocarbon emulsion (IV-PFC) has been shown to provide hemodynamic protection from gas embolism (Venous-VGE or arterial-AGE). The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanism of PFC protection from controlled VGE by quantifying the effects of IV-PFC emulsion on pulmonary elimination of nitrogen (N2). All rabbits received an intravenous pretreatment of PFC emulsion (Oxygent, 2.7 g/kg) or saline, then either a continuous room air infusion (0.25 ml/kg for 10 minutes) or a bolus of air (0.8 ml/kg within 10 seconds) through the femoral vein. Expiratory N2 peaked higher with PFC infusion immediately after air injection. The recovery to baseline of end tidal N2 was faster for PFC-treated animals (40 +/- 4.7 vs. 58 +/- 6.5 minutes). In PFC-treated animals, expired CO2, O2, arterial pressure and central venous pressure returned to baseline faster than the saline group. This study demonstrated that PFC increased pulmonary N2 washout. Correspondingly, PFC treatment better preserved the animals' hemodynamics after VGE injury. The use of IV-PFC promises to be a breakthrough non-recompression therapy for gas embolism in the treatment of Decompression Sickness (DCS) and in surgery.