Pulmonary surfactant is a liquid produced by the body that has the function of facilitating the exchange of respiratory gases in the lungs. Its action allows the pulmonary alveoli, which are small sacs responsible for gas exchange, to remain open during breathing, through a tension, which facilitates the entry of oxygen into the blood circulation.
Very premature newborns may not yet have sufficient production of pulmonary surfactant to guarantee efficient breathing and, therefore, they may develop the infant's respiratory distress syndrome, causing severe difficulty in breathing.
Fortunately, there is a drug, which is the exogenous surfactant, which mimics the body's natural substance, and helps the baby's breathing until it can produce on its own. This medication can be administered in the first hour after the baby is born, for a quicker result, through a tube directly in the lungs.
Surfactant functions
The main function of the pulmonary surfactant is to form a film layer that allows the appropriate opening of the pulmonary alveoli and allows breathing, through:
- Maintenance of the opening of the alveoli; Decrease of the force necessary for the expansion of the lungs; Stabilization of the size of the alveoli.
In this way, the lungs are always active and able to perform gas exchanges properly.
What causes the lack of surfactant
The surfactant is produced during the maturation of the baby's lungs, still in the mother's womb, after about 28 weeks. Therefore, premature babies who are born before this period, may still not have sufficient production of this substance, which causes the infant's respiratory distress syndrome.
This disease, also known as hyaline membrane syndrome or respiratory distress syndrome, causes difficulty in breathing, rapid breathing, wheezing and blue lips and fingers, which can even be fatal.
In these cases, the pediatrician can indicate the dose of exogenous surfactant to the newborn, which can be natural, extracted from animals, or synthetic, which can replace the function of the surfactant produced in the lungs and allow adequate breathing. Learn more about the symptoms and how to treat infantile respiratory distress syndrome.
