Nasal continuous positive airway pressure in the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome: an experience from a developing country.
Forty-four premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) were admitted and initially treated with binasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) using Beneveniste's valve and silastic nasal prongs. Twenty-seven cases (61 per cent) were successfully treated compared to 17 cases (39 per cent) who failed to respond to CPAP. Neither gestational age nor birth weight had a detremental effect on the success of nasal CPAP. There was significant improvement of RDS with a mild to moderate degree of severity on CPAP. No pneumothorax was reported in any of our cases. The success group had a significantly lower incidence of infection, apnea, intraventricular haemorrhage and retinopathy of prematurity.
Child Health Department, College of Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University, Al Khod, Oman.
M R
MR
Bassiouny
A
A
Gupta
M
M
el Bualy
D003906:Developing Countries; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009666:Nose; D009850:Oman; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000628:therapy*