Noninvasive ventilation during pediatric interhospital ground transport.

Objective. We report our use of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) during pediatric interhospital ground transport. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed transport andhospital records for nonneonatal patients ≤ 18 years old transferred into or out of our children's hospital between January 2005 andJune 2006 while receiving continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP). Transport paramedics have extensive experience andsupplemental training in NIV andadvanced pediatric airway skills. Results. NIV was used during 31 transports of 25 patients (CPAP: 18 transports for 16 patients; BiPAP: 13 transports for nine patients). Nine patients (36%) were NIV-dependent prior to transport. Diagnoses included neurologic disease (n = 10), pulmonary disease (n = 10), congenital heart disease (n = 4), andother (n = 1). Oxygen saturation (SpO2) improved to or remained greater than 93% during all transports. Neither tracheal intubation nor cardiopulmonary resuscitation was required during or...