why choose us

300×250 Ad Slot

Research Article: Incomplete Exhalation during Resuscitation—Theoretical Review and Examples from Ventilation of Newborn Term Infants

Date Published: 2023-06-28

Abstract:
Background: Newborn resuscitation guidelines recommend positive pressure ventilation (PPV) for newborns who do not establish effective spontaneous breathing after birth. T-piece resuscitator systems are commonly used in high-resource settings and can additionally provide positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). Short expiratory time, high resistance, rapid dynamic changes in lung compliance and large tidal volumes increase the possibility of incomplete exhalation. Previous publications indicate that this may occur during newborn resuscitation. Our aim was to study examples of incomplete exhalations in term newborn resuscitation and discuss these against the theoretical background. Methods: Examples of flow and pressure data from respiratory function monitors (RFM) were selected from 129 term newborns who received PPV using a T-piece resuscitator. RFM data were not presented to the user during resuscitation. Results: Examples of incomplete exhalation with higher-than-set PEEP-levels were present in the recordings with visual correlation to factors affecting time needed to complete exhalation. Conclusions: Incomplete exhalation and the relationship to expiratory time constants have been well described theoretically. We documented examples of incomplete exhalations with increased PEEP-levels during resuscitation of term newborns. We conclude that RFM data from resuscitations can be reviewed for this purpose and that incomplete exhalations should be further explored, as the clinical benefit or risk of harm are not known.

Introduction:
Positive pressure ventilation (PPV) is needed by approximately 5% of term newborn infants [1]. Establishing effective spontaneous or mechanical ventilation is critical for transition after birth. Management of ventilation is extensively discussed in resuscitation guidelines [1,2,3], but ventilation targets, methods of providing PPV, and how to monitor ventilation delivery have been insufficiently studied [4]. Examples of uncertainties in management are the potential benefits of real-time feedback using more…

Read more

300×250 Ad Slot