Liquivent®  is a water-clear perfluorocarbon solution for lung lavage.  Intended to aid in the removal of foreign material and tenacious bronchial secretions.

Perfluorocarbon (PFC) liquids are water-clear, very dense, low-viscosity liquids which are immiscible with both water and lipids. Due to their great density, they easily penetrate to the lowest levels in the lung, and their density displaces most solids and liquids, causing those to float to the top of the meniscus where they are easily suctioned out. Solids such as food, smoke, charcoal, mucus and dust, as well as most liquids are easily floated out of the most difficult locations.

Advantages of Perfluorcarbon lavage solutions:

• Respiratory: Does not block oxygen transfer during lavage.

• Effective: Low viscosity and high density make this a very effective lavage agent.

• Hydrophobic: Does not mix with water, inhaled liquids or solids. Does not remove surfactant.

• Buoyancy: Almost all liquids and solids float on top of PFCs, making removal easier.

• Bioinert: Molecule too large to be metabolized. Minimally absorbed and eliminated by evaporation.No residual effects reported even years after administration.

OriGen supplies two medical-grade perfluorocarbon compounds:

• PFB (Liquivent), which is radiopaque (opaque on x-ray)

• PFD (Liquivent-D), which is radiolucent. 

Both are supplied in syringes and bottles.
Radiolucent Perfluorodecalin Products: 

Radiopaque Perflubron Products:

Indications

OriGen Liquivent solutions are indicated for lavage use in the lungs. Sterile, single use only. Pending FDA approval, not currently for sale in the USA.

Technical Information
Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) have been extensively studied in both the lungs and circulation. PFCs are bioinert, minimally absorbed, and have no deleterious histological cellular or biochemical effects¹. PFC molecules are too large to be metabolized² and are therefore non-reactive in the respiratory or circulatory system. In addition, PFCs have very high vapor pressures³ and evaporate quickly. Clinical studies have shown that Perfluorocarbons are eliminated from the lungs primarily by evaporation, with radiographic clearance of most of the PFCs by 48 hours¹. In addition, PFC use in the lungs enhances surfactant phospholipid production⁴. Instillation of Perflubron into the lungs was found to actually diminish oxidative damage to injury prone tissues⁵. And when used with exogenous surfactant, PFC actually improved pulmonary gas exchange after meconium aspiration⁶.

References
1 Reickert C, Pranikoff T, Overbeck M, Kazerooni E, Massey K, Bartlett R, Hirschl R. "The Pulmonary And Systemic Distribution And Elimination Of Perflubron From Adult Patients Treated With Partial Liquid Ventilation" Chest. 2001 Feb; 119(2):515-522.
2. PFC Molecular weights > 480
3. Vapor pressure > 5.9 mbar @ 20 C
4 Steinhorn DM, Leach CL, Fuhrman BP, Holm BA. "Partial Liquid Ventilation Enhances Surfactant Phospholipid Production." Critical Care Med. 1996 Jul; 24(7):1252-6.

5 Rotta AT, Gunnarsson B, Fuhrman BP, Wiryawan B, Hernan LJ, Steinhorn DM. “Perfluorooctyl bromide (perflubron) attenuates oxidative injury to biological and nonbiological systems.”Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2003 Apr;4(2):233-8.

6 Schlösser R, L, Veldman A, Fischer D, Funk B, Brand J, von Loewenich V. "Comparison of Effects of Perflubron and Surfactant Lung Lavage on Pulmonary Gas Exchange in a Piglet Model of Meconium Aspiration." Biol Neonate. 2002 Feb; 81:126–131