This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Go to /pro/cpd-dashboard page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. CPD dashboard

Go to /account/subscription-details page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. Upgrade to Pro

Surfactant

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Surfactant is a mixture of phopholipids and proteins which is produced by type II pneumocytes from 24 weeks of gestation onwards. Surfactant has the following functions:

  • reduction of surface tension, preventing collapse of alveoli
  • facilitation of gas transport between air and fluid phases

Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a disease of premature babies which results primarily from a deficiency of surfactant.

Surfactant used in treating neonatal RDS may be:

  • synthetic:
    • contains phospholipid but no surfactant proteins
  • animal-derived:
    • contains phospholipid and surfactant proteins

Recent evidence suggests that the animal-derived surfactant is more effective but there is some concern about the possibility of disease transmission.

There is currently research into the use of surfactant in adult respiratory distress syndrome, but this is presently no further than the animal model and case report stage.


Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.