Resuscitation Table Height for Face-mask Ventilation in Infants

Positive pressure ventilation (PPV) is the most important intervention in neonatal resuscitation. During PPV, it is important to hold the face-mask with care, as applying excessive pressure could cause injury to the infant, while insufficient pressure could be a contributor of mask leak and reduced effective ventilation. Application of positive pressure to face structures may trigger a vagally mediated reflex via the trigeminal nerve that innervates the skin of the face leading to apnoea and a decrease in heart rate (TCR, trigeminal-cardiac reflex).

The force exerted by providers during neonatal ventilation to improve mask seal might result in pressure lesions and the elicitation of the trigeminal-cardiac reflex. The height of the resuscitation could influence the forces applied to the face and the quality of the procedure. Information about the applied forces in relation to the height of the resuscitation table is unknown.