Noninvasive High Frequency Oscillation Ventilation (NHFOV) in Comparison to Noninvasive Intermittent Positive Pressure Ventilation (NIPPV) As Post-extubation Support in Preterm Neonates

The global definition of preterm infant by the World Health Organization is any infant born before 37 weeks of gestation. Annually, an estimated 15 million (11.1%) preterm infants are born worldwide. Preterm birth is further classified as extremely preterm (<28 weeks), very preterm (28 to <32 weeks), and moderate (32 to <34 weeks) to late preterm (34 to <37 weeks).

Prematurity has been associated with several risk factors, such as history of previous preterm birth, pregnancy induced hypertension, premature rupture of fetal membranes, multiple pregnancy, bleeding during pregnancy, history of abortion, fetal malformation, inadequate antenatal care, polyhydramnios and previous caesarean section.

Preterm neonates are at greater risk of a range of short-term and long-term morbidities. Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. RDS is characterized by a lack of lung surfactant. Insufficient surfactant production or secretion results in higher alveolar surface tension, leading to atelectasis and impaired gas exchange. Respiratory distress typically manifests in newborns as tachypnea, intercostal retractions, nasal flaring, grunting, and cyanosis.

Invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) increases survival in preterm infants with severe RDS. However, prolonged intubation and mechanical ventilation of preterm infants increases the risk of life-threatening complications including, ventilator induced lung injury and airway inflammation leading to bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and nosocomial pneumonia, and also increases the risk of a poor neurodevelopmental outcome. Therefore, when caring for premature infants, clinicians should focus on weaning from IMV as expeditiously as possible to noninvasive respiratory support (NRS).

There are many strategies and criteria for weaning, including evaluation of ventilatory parameters, clinical/biochemical criteria, and predictive indices of extubation that can be followed by or combined with spontaneous breathing trials or gradual withdrawal from ventilatory support.