Impact of Synchronized Nasal Intermittent Positive Pressure Ventilation Using Non Invasive Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist (NAVA) in Preterm Infants With Respiratory Distress

The nasal CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), is a technique of noninvasive ventilation commonly used in neonatal intensive care units, and has recently been used in association with nasal intermittent mandatory ventilation (NIPPV - intermittent Nasal Positive Pressure Ventilation), which consists of the application of respiratory positive pressure cycles during the application of nasal CPAP, resulting in high pharyngeal pressures. The NIPPV has advantages over traditional CPAP, including the prevention of atelectasis, improved respiratory mechanics and decreased work of breathing in premature infants. A refinement of this technique is the use of positive pressure breaths associated with nasal CPAP synchronously in relation to the newborn's inspiratory effort (SNIPPV - Synchronized Nasal Positive Pressure Ventilation).

Synchronization allows that the cycles of inspiratory positive pressure provided by the ventilator coincide with the inspiratory effort, increasing the system efficacy. The Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist (NAVA) is a mode of partial ventilatory support based on the use of electrical activity of the diaphragm (Edi) to control the mechanical ventilator. The ventilatory assistance starts according to respiratory needs of the patient, its use in very low birth weight infants showed an improvement in patient-ventilator interaction, even in the presence of leak around the endotracheal tube. This prospective randomized, clinical trial aims to evaluate, in preterm infants with gestational age lower than 34 weeks with respiratory failure treated with noninvasive ventilatory support, the impact of SNIPPV with neural adjustment (NAVA) on success ventilation and the need for endotracheal intubation when compared to treatment with traditional CPAP.