Surfactant Therapy in Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is the leading cause of neonatal respiratory distress in our country and is the commonest disorder requiring assisted ventilation all over the world(l,2), Exogenous surfactant administration is now an established mode of therapy in neonatal RDS (hyaline membrane disease, HMD). Ever since the first report of successful surfactant replacement therapy in neonates with established RDS(3), numerous clinical trials conducted worldwide have shown exogenous surfactant therapy to reduce the mortality rate, requirements for mechanical ventilation and air leak complications in RDS(4). Four