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896298 
Journal Article 
Review 
Perfluorocarbon emulsions as a promising technology: a review of tissue and vascular gas dynamics 
Spiess, BD 
2009 
Yes 
Journal of Applied Physiology (1985)
ISSN: 8750-7587
EISSN: 1522-1601 
AMER PHYSIOLOGICAL SOC 
BETHESDA 
106 
4 
1444-1452 
English 
19179651 
WOS:000264753000053 
Perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsions are halogen-substituted carbon nonpolar oils with resultant enhanced dissolved respiratory gas (O(2), N(2), CO(2), nitric oxide) capabilities. In the first demonstration of enhanced O(2) solubility, inhaled PFC could sustain rat metabolism. Intravenous emulsions were then trialed as "blood substitutes." In the last 10 yr, biocomputational modeling has enhanced our mechanistic understanding of PFCs. Contemporary research is now taking advantage of these physiological discoveries and applying PFCs as "oxygen therapeutics," as well as ways to enhance other gas movements. One particularly promising area of research is the treatment of gas embolism (arterial and venous emboli/decompression sickness). An expansive understanding of PFC-enhanced diffusive gas movements through tissue and vasculature may have analogous applications for O(2) or other respiratory gases and should provide a revolution in medicine. This review will stress the fundamental knowledge we now have regarding how respiratory gas movements are changed when intravenous PFC is present. 
decompression sickness; gas embolism; oxycyte; oxygen delivery