Seattle Children's neonatologist Dr. Kendra Smith suggested trying Perflubron, a liquid ventilation drug that was used in the '90s. The drug was scrapped after the manufacturer found it had little use in adults. While it isn't approved by the FDA, in the United States it is approved for use in Canada and Europe. Perflubron is an oxygen-rich liquid that fills and expands the lungs.

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Travelers walk around the baggage claim in the South Terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. Atlanta is among the airports where the FAA will reduce flights due to the shutdown, and airports are facing a shortage of air traffic controllers. 
(Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez