The use of artificial surfactant (ALEC) in the prophylaxis of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

Artificial surfactant (ALEC), when used in a crystalline state, has physical properties similar to natural surfactant. It is composed of two phospholipids with no protein. When placed in the trachea of ventilated premature rabbits it significantly increased the lung compliance. In three prophylactic clinical trials with babies under 30 weeks gestation this surfactant has been shown to reduce the neonatal mortality by about half and to significantly decrease the incidence of intraventricular haemorrhage and bronchopulmonary dysplasia without any increase in the incidence of subsequent handicap.