High Flow Nasal Cannula Therapy in the Paediatric Home Setting

High flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy is non-invasive respiratory support designed to deliver a high flow of heated humidified air, with or without entrained oxygen, via specifically designed nasal prongs. Its physiological benefits include flow-dependent positive airway pressure, alveolar recruitment and washout of carbon dioxide from the upper airway. The reduction of esophageal pressure changes during respiration, compared with standard non-occlusive oxygen facemask, indicates its capacity to ease inspiratory effort.

Initially developed for preterm infants, the application of this technology is rapidly spreading to include pediatric patients with various indications, including bronchiolitis, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), tracheomalacia, asthma, post-extubation support, and even adult hypoxemic respiratory failure.

Since it appears to be better tolerated than traditional modes of non-invasive ventilation, such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP), it is increasingly used outside the intensive care setting, despite limited evidence of its safety and efficacy.

In Israel, HFNC is approved for home support of children requiring non-invasive respiratory support on the recommendation of a paediatric pulmonologist or intensivist, provided that CPAP and BiPAP have been trialed and deemed not tolerated by the patient. At Schneider Childrens' Medical Center of Israel (SCMI), a tertiary paediatric hospital, therapy is commenced during a brief inpatient stay, at a period of clinical stability. Parents are trained in the use of the device and flow rate is titrated to clinical response.

The investigators aim to describe the safety, indications, parameters of utilization, length of treatment, clinical outcomes and parental satisfaction of HFNC in the paediatric home setting.