Abstract
Summary
Excised lungs of human infants and 4 animal species were inflated and deflated at 2 to 8 cycles per minute. This resulted in a loss of stability of expansion in all adult and post-neonatal infant specimens tested, but was not true in neonatal lungs. It is suggested on the basis of available data that a qualitative as well as a quantitative difference exists between newborn and adult lungs in the surface active material of the alveolar lining layer. Intermediate stages have been observed in post-neonatal infant lungs of all species. Recovery of stability of expansion occurred at rest within a few minutes regardless of the state of expansion, or the use of air or nitrogen.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.