title: Unilateral lung intubation for pulmonary air leak syndrome in neonates: a case series and a review of the literature.
abstract: Air leak syndrome represents a common set of complications of ventilated premature neonates and includes pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, pulmonary interstitial emphysema, and pneumatocele. Unilateral intubation is an infrequently utilized treatment option. We report our experience of three cases of air leak syndrome in neonates, each treated with unilateral intubation, including two cases of recalcitrant pneumothorax. A review of the literature of similar neonatal cases is presented. In view of our experience and the review of the literature, we suggest that unilateral intubation is an efficient and relatively safe therapy in cases of neonatal air leak syndrome. It is also suggested that appropriate treatment duration should be at least 48 hours.
authors: Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors: Leon J
authors: LJ
authors: Joseph
authors: Ruben
authors: R
authors: Bromiker
authors: Ori
authors: O
authors: Toker
authors: Michael S
authors: MS
authors: Schimmel
authors: Shmuel
authors: S
authors: Goldberg
authors: Elie
authors: E
authors: Picard
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*