Pulmonary air leak in extremely low birthweight infants.
The incidence of pulmonary air leak in 230 infants with a birth weight of 500-999 g who were ventilated was 41%. Pulmonary interstitial emphysema occurred in 35%, pneumothorax in 20%, pneumomediastinum in 3%, and pneumopericardium in 2%. The survival rates in those with or without pulmonary air leak were not significantly different in the first four years of the study period (46% v 53%). As the survival improved in infants without air leak during the second four years the difference in survival rates in infants with or without air leak became significant (30% v 71%). Effective measures of preventing pulmonary air leak are required before further improvement in the outcome of these extremely low birthweight infants can be achieved.
D000388:Air; D001315:Australia; D001724:Birth Weight; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000453:epidemiology; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000453:epidemiology; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects