[Respiratory care in neonatal intensive care units. Situation in the year 2005]. / Asistencia respiratoria en las unidades de cuidados intensivos neonatales en España: situación en 2005.

AIM: To learn the characteristic of the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) that offer neonatal respiratory assistance in Spain. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A structured survey was developed and sent to all Spanish neonatal units to learn about the respiratory care offered in 2005. RESULTS: A total of 96 Units answered the survey, with an estimated representatively of 63%, with a range from 3 to 92%, depending on the geographical area. Level IIIc Units were in the upper range. Answer the survey 26 units type IIb (27%), 16 IIIa (17%), 40 IIIb (42%) and 14 IIIc (14%). The total number of level III NICU beds was 541 (1.2 beds per 1000 livebirths; range, 0.7-1.7). The mean number of beds per NICU was 4.1 in level IIIa Units, 2.8 in those IIIb and 14.6 in type IIIc NICUs. In level III NICUs, the bed per physician ratio was 2.4 and that of beds per registered nurse was 2.8 (2.2 in level IIIc NICUs). There were a total 13,219 admissions, 54% of those needed mechanical ventilation (36% in IIIa and 65% in level IIIc NICUs). Oxygen blenders for resuscitation at birth were available in 42% of level IIIb and IIIc NICUs. NICUs had one neonatal ventilator per bed, and 63% of units had high frequency ventilation available. All units had nasal-CPAP systems, 25% of level IIIa Units, 58% IIIb and 64% of those type IIIc had systems for nasal ventilation. All level IIIc and 93% of level IIIb NICUs were able to provide inhaled nitric oxygen therapy. Four NICUS offered ECMO. CONCLUSIONS: The mean number of NICU beds per 1000 livebirths is within the lower limits of those been recommended, and there were wide variations among different geographical areas. A 54% of those babies admitted to NICUs required mechanical ventilation. The mean number of NICU beds per registered nurse was 2.8. There was an adequate number of neonatal ventilators (one per bed) and 63% were able to provide HFV. All NICUs hand n-CPAP systems.

Asistencia respiratoria en las unidades de cuidados intensivos neonatales en España: situación en 2005 / Respiratory care in neonatal intensive care units. Situation in the year 2005

Objetivo: conocer el tipo de unidades de cuidados intensivos neonatales (UCIN) que proporcionan asistencia respiratoria neonatal en España y sus características. Material y método: encuesta multicéntrica estructurada para conocer la actividad asistencial respiratoria prestada por las UCIN en 2005. Resultados: contestaron 96 unidades neonatales con una representatividad estimada en un 63%, con un intervalo entre el 3 y el 92%, según las áreas geográficas; las unidades IIIc se encuentran en el rango superior. Contestaron la encuesta 26 unidades tipo IIb (27%), 16 IIIa (17%), 40 IIIb (42%) y 14 IIIc (14%). Las camas totales de intensivos de nivel III fue de 541 (1,2 camas cada 1.000 recién nacidos vivos; intervalo, 0,7-1,7). La media de camas por unidad fue de 4,1 para las IIIa, 2,8 para las IIIb y 14,6 para las IIIc. En las unidades de nivel III, la relación camas/médicos fue de 2,4 camas/medico y la de camas/enfermeras 2,8 camas/enfermera (2,2 en nivel IIIc). Hubo un total de 13.219 ingresos, de los que el 54% precisó ventilación (el 36% en las IIIa y el 65% en las IIIc). La posibilidad de reanimación en el paritorio con mezcla de gases (aire y oxígeno) sólo la tiene el 42% de las IIIb y IIIc. La relación respirador/cama fue de 1/1; el 63% puede proporcionar ventilación de alta frecuencia (VAF). Todas disponen de sistemas de presión positiva continua nasal (CPAP-n). Sistemas para aplicar ventilación nasal intermitente están disponibles en el 25% de las IIIa, el 58% de las IIIb y el 64% de las IIIc. Todas las IIIc y el 93% de las IIIb pueden proporcionar oxido nítrico inhalado. Cuatro unidades disponían de ECMO. Conclusiones: la media de camas de UCIN de nivel III cada mil nacidos está en el límite bajo de lo recomendable, con notables diferencias regionales. La necesidad de ventilación mecánica fue del 54%. La relación de camas por enfermera fue de 2,8. Existe una buena dotación de respiradores (1 por cama) con alta disponibilidad de VAF (63%). Todas las unidades disponen de CPAP-n (AU)

Aim: To learn the characteristic of the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) that offer neonatal respiratory assistance in Spain. Material and method: A structured survey was developed and sent to all Spanish neonatal units to learn about the respiratory care offered in 2005. Results: A total of 96 Units answered the survey, with an estimated representatively of 63%, with a range from 3 to 92%, depending on the geographical area. Level IIIc Units were in the upper range. Answer the survey 26 units type IIb (27%), 16 IIIa (17%), 40 IIIb (42%) and 14 IIIc (14%). The total number of level III NICU beds was 541 (1.2 beds per 1000 livebirths; range, 0.7–1.7). The mean number of beds per NICU was 4.1 in level IIIa Units, 2.8 in those IIIb and 14.6 in type IIIc NICUs. In level III NICUs, the bed per physician ratio was 2.4 and that of beds per registered nurse was 2.8 (2.2 in level IIIc NICUs). There were a total 13,219 admissions, 54% of those needed mechanical ventilation (36% in IIIa and 65% in level IIIc NICUs). Oxygen blenders for resuscitation at birth were available in 42% of level IIIb and IIIc NICUs. NICUs had one neonatal ventilator per bed, and 63% of units had high frequency ventilation available. All units had nasal-CPAP systems, 25% of level IIIa Units, 58% IIIb and 64% of those type IIIc had systems for nasal ventilation. All level IIIc and 93% of level IIIb NICUs were able to provide inhaled nitric oxygen therapy. Four NICUS offered ECMO. Conclusions: The mean number of NICU beds per 1000 livebirths is within the lower limits of those been recommended, and there were wide variations among different geographical areas. A 54% of those babies admitted to NICUs required mechanical ventilation. The mean number of NICU beds per registered nurse was 2.8. There was an adequate number of neonatal ventilators (one per bed) and 63% were able to provide HFV. All NICUs hand n-CPAP systems (AU)

[Rescue treatment with inhaled nitric oxide in preterm newborns with respiratory failure]. / Oxido nítrico inhalado como rescate en insuficiencia respiratoria del recién nacido inmaduro.

Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is indicated in near-term (> 34 weeks' gestation) and term newborns with hypoxemic respiratory failure and persistent pulmonary hypertension, decreasing the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in at least 40 %. Currently the use of iNO has not been approved for premature neonates, and its therapeutic efficacy in this group remains controversial. However, it has been suggested that iNO may be helpful by improving oxygenation and reducing the need for aggressive mechanical ventilation in some cases of severe hypoxemic respiratory failure in preterm infants with inadequate response to conventional treatment. We report the cases of three hypoxemic preterm neonates unresponsive to conventional treatment in whom the use of iNO was effective in the management of hypoxemic respiratory failure.

[Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, ECMO. Experience with the first 22 cases]. / Oxigenación por membrana extracorpórea, ECMO. Experiencia de los primeros 22 casos.

OBJECTIVE: Extracorporal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an alternative to cases of respiratory or cardiopulmonary insufficiency when conventional therapy has failed. We present the first 22 patients treated with ECMO at the neonatology unit of the "Gregorio Marañon" Hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From October 1997 until September 1999, 22 patients were treated with ECMO. In 8 of them ECMO was necessary because of respiratory insufficiency without response to conventional treatment (r-ECMO) and a veno-venous tidal flow system was used. In 14 patients, cardiac ECMO was necessary in the veno-arterial modality because of ventricular failure after extracorporal circulatory assistance during cardiovascular surgery. RESULTS: The 8 patients of the respiratory ECMO group had a mean previous oxygenation index of 89 +/- 36.6 (50-150). The mean duration of ECMO was 7.8 +/- 6.5 (1-16) days and the age at the beginning of ECMO ranged between 1 and 151 days. The most frequent indications in this group were congenital diaphragmatic hernia in three cases, meconium aspiration syndrome in 2 cases and 1 case each of septic shock, idiopathic pulmonary hypertension and air leak. The cannula was removed in 5/8 patients due to recovery and 5/8 survived. The 14 patients of the cardiac ECMO group needed veno-arterial ECMO because of severe ventricular failure. Eight out of fourteen were decannulated after improvement. In 5/14 there was multiorgan failure or bad neurological prognosis resulting in death while on ECMO. In 1 out of 14 patients removal of the cannula was impossible because of cardiac insufficiency. The mean age at the beginning of ECMO was 54 (3-178) days. The mean weight at ECMO was 3209 +/- 739 (2700-5000) gr and the mean duration of ECMO was 6 (1-15) days. CONCLUSIONS: ECMO is an effective treatment in rescuing critical patients when conventional treatment fails. Meconium aspiration syndrome is the pathology with the best prognosis on ECMO. Cardiac ECMO represents a complex group of patients in which ECMO is the only treatment and which may result in recovery in 40% of the patients.