Prospects for Reduction of Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury with Surfactant

Pulmonary surfactant (‘‘surface active agent’’) is a complex mixture of

lipids and proteins, which is secreted by type II cells into the alveolar space of all mammalian lungs (1). Its main function is to lower the surface tension

at the air-water interface and thereby promote lung expansion during

inspiration and prevent lung collapse during end-expiration at the low

transpulmonary pressures associated with normal breathing.