[Use of noninvasive high-frequency oscillatory ventilation in very low birth weight infants].

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the use of noninvasive high-frequency oscillation ventilation (nHFOV) in very low birth weight infants. Method A total of 36 cases received nHFOV between January 2016 and October 2016 in Children′s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, including 24 males and 12 females, with the gestational age of (27.5±2.5) weeks and birth weight of(980±318)g. The data of the ventilator settings, side effects, and changes of the respiratory function before and after nHFOV were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Nonparametric tests or t tests or χ2 tests were used. Result Thirty-two (89%) out of the 36 cases successfully avoided intubation or re-intubation after using of nHFOV. nHFOV was used as the rescue treatment after failure of other noninvasive ventilation in 17 cases, and as the prophylactical treatment preventing re-intubation after extubation in the remaining 19 cases. There were significant decreases in the incidences of apnea and desaturation(SpO2 0.05), except for the significant decreases in the mean airway pressure ((7.9±2.6)vs.(9.6±1.6)cmH2O, 1 cmH20=0.098 kPa, t=2.198, P=0.041). There were 4 cases suffered from nasal septum injury, while no other nHFOV related complications were noted. Conclusion nHFOV can be applied in preterm infants as a rescue treatment after the failure of other noninvasive ventilation, or prophylactically used in patients who have high risk of re-intubation. Key words: Infant, very low birth weight; Bronchopulmonary dysplasia; High-frequency ventilation; Noninvasive ventilation