Hyaline membrane disease treated with bovine surfactant.

Six preterm infants with severe hyaline membrane disease requiring ventilation were treated, at a median age of 15.5 hours, with a single intratracheal bolus of a bovine surfactant suspension. Arterial oxygenation increased dramatically, and chest radiograms showed improvement after two to four hours. However, a variable degree of deterioration occurred within 24 hours. All of the infants required oxygen therapy for several weeks, and one developed severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.