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PubMed1985

Neonatal high-frequency jet ventilation: four years' experience.

During a 4-year period, 34 neonates were treated with high-frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) using two different HFJV systems. Twenty-three of the neonates had severe pulmonary air leaks, five had congenital left-sided diaphragmatic hernias, and six had end-stage respiratory failure without pulmonary air leaks. The two HFJV systems performed similarly in all pathologic conditions. Following HFJV, arterial blood gas values improved in 28 of the 34 patients (82%). Eleven patients (32%) ultimately survived. Of 23 patients with pulmonary air leaks, 17 (74%) improved, nine (39%) survived. One infant with diaphragmatic hernia and one with end-stage respiratory failure survived. Ten of 12 patients (85%) who died following eight or more hours of HFJV had significant tracheal histopathology in the region of the endotracheal tube tip. The lesions ranged from moderate erythema to severe necrotizing tracheobronchitis with total tracheal obstruction. HFJV can be useful in the treatment of severe pulmonary air leaks in neonates and may prove useful in the treatment of congenital diaphragmatic hernias. However, HFJV produces inflammatory injuries in the proximal trachea. More clinical and laboratory studies are needed to define the relative risks and benefits of this new therapy.

Blood Gas Analysis↗

PubMed1984

Using conventional infant ventilators at unconventional rates.

The effect of progressive increases in ventilator rate on delivered tidal and minute volumes, and the effect of changing peak inspiratory pressure (Pmax), positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), and inspiration to expiration (I:E) ratio at different ventilator rates were examined. Five different continuous-flow, time-cycled, pressure-preset infant ventilators were studied using a pneumotachograph, an airway pressure monitor, and a lung simulator. As rates increased from 10 to 150 breaths per minute, tidal volume stayed constant until 25 to 30 breaths per minute; then progressively decreased. In all, tidal volume began to decrease when proximal airway pressure waves lost inspiratory pressure plateaus. As rates increased, minute volume increased until 75 breaths per minute, then leveled off, then decreased. Substituting helium for O2 increased the ventilator rate at which this minute volume plateau effect occurred. Increasing peak inspiratory pressure consistently increased tidal volume. Increasing positive end-expiratory pressure decreased tidal volume. At rates less than 75 breaths per minute, inspiratory time (inspiration to expiration ratio) had little effect on delivered volume. At rates greater than 75 breaths per minute, inspiratory time became an important determinant of minute volume. For any given combination of lung compliance and airway resistance: there is a maximum ventilator rate beyond which tidal volume progressively decreases and another maximum ventilator rate beyond which minute volume progressively decreases; at slower rates, delivered volumes are determined primarily by changes in proximal airway pressures; at very rapid rates, inspiratory time becomes a key determinant of delivered volume.

Humans↗