Nasal Intermittent Positive Pressure Ventilation Allows Early Extubation In Infants Less Than 28 Weeks Gestation: A Pilot Study

Very premature infants often cannot breathe on their own and require assistance with a respirator. Conventional respirators deliver air or oxygen via a breathing tube placed through the mouth to the airway (endotracheal tube). A prolonged use of an endotracheal tube is associated with injury to the lungs. Currently, a premature baby has to be ventilated through an endotracheal tube until he/she can fully breathe independently. In the current study, in order to shorten the time with an endotracheal tube, we utilized an alternative, less invasive ventilation procedure, nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV). This procedure provides help with breathing, but requires only nasal, not endotracheal tubes. We hypothesized that NIPPV might help babies breathe, at an early stage in their recovery, when they could not breathe independently yet. Thus, by switching babies at this early stage from a regular respirator to NIPPV, we should be able to shorten the use of an injurious endotracheal tube.