ABSTRACT
Combined high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) and intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV) was used in 12 neonates with inadequate gas exchange with conventional IMV. Diagnoses included diaphragmatic hernia with hypoplastic lungs, pneumonia, persistent fetal circulation, and severe respiratory distress syndrome. In most patients there was severe air leak. Within 10 hours of beginning HFOV-IMV the mean arterial PCO2 fell from 60 +/- 5 (means +/- SEM) to 38 +/- 2 mm Hg (P less than 0.01) and the mean IMV rate was reduced from 96 +/- 8 to 17 +/- 4 breaths per minute (P less than 0.001). The mean arterial-alveolar oxygen tension ratio rose from 0.05 +/- 0.01 to 0.09 +/- 0.01 (P less than 0.005). Mean airway pressure in the trachea was reduced from 16 +/- 2 to 10 +/- 3 cm H2O (P less than 0.05). Four patients died, three of whom had diaphragmatic hernias with hypoplastic lungs. Five of the eight survivors had mild bronchopulmonary dysplasia requiring supplemental oxygen. These studies demonstrate that in some neonates with respiratory failure who fail to respond to conventional IMV, combined HFOV-IMV can be successful.
Subject(s)
Intermittent Positive-Pressure Ventilation , Positive-Pressure Respiration , Respiration, Artificial/methods , Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/therapy , Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/therapy , Critical Care , Ductus Arteriosus, Patent/therapy , Hernia, Diaphragmatic/therapy , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Lung/abnormalities , Pulmonary Gas Exchange , Pulmonary Ventilation , Ventilators, MechanicalABSTRACT
We developed a method to measure accurately pressures at the airway opening (Pao) and in the trachea (Ptr) in neonates during high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) from 15-30 Hz. All component parts of the pressure-measuring system were tested as a unit against a reference transducer in a closed chamber in which sinusoidal pressure waves could be generated. The resulting waveforms were displayed on an oscilloscope and measured. Ptr was measured through the intramural lumen of a Hi-Lo jet tracheal tube (National Catheter Co., Argyle, NY) opening 1 cm above the distal tip. Pressure readings from uncorrected waveforms indicated a discrepancy between measured and actual pressures, as high as 100% at frequencies of 100 Hz. When the resonance of the system was damped with a CorrecTORR (Norton Health Care Products, Akron, OH), the ratio of test to reference transducer output was flat +/- 5% from 0-160 Hz for the Pao system and flat +/- 4% from 0-100 Hz for the Ptr system. Ptr system accuracy was verified in an excised rabbit lung and the systems were used clinically in neonatal HFOV. We conclude that Pao and Ptr can be measured accurately during HFOV by this method.
