Pumactant

Pumactant is known as a lung (pulmonary) surfactant. Surfactants are wetting agents which coat the surface of the air sacs (alveoli) and reduce surface tension in the lungs. This helps to inflate and expand the air sacs during breathing and prevents their collapse. Surfactants are normally produced naturally in the lungs. A failure by the lungs to do this results in a life threatening disorder known as respiratory distress syndrome, where the lungs become stiff, uninflatable and make breathing extremely difficult. This commonly occurs in premature babies, where their under-developed lungs are incapable of producing surfactants. Pumactant is given directly into the lung through a tube (endotracheal administration), to replace the natural surfactant and therefore aids breathing in premature babies.