High-frequency Oscillatory Ventilation (HFOV) in Preterm Infants With Severe Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS)

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is common in preterm infants born at less than 32 weeks gestation; surfactant and mechanical ventilation have been the standard treatment. However, despite advances in neonatal respiratory care, a considerable number of preterm infants develop chronic lung disease, termed bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), which is associated with neonatal death, prolonged neonatal intensive care stay, and impaired neurodevelopment. High-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) was developed as a new ventilation technique in the late 1970s. It was expected to result in less BPD and death as a primary model of ventilation compared to conventional ventilation (CV) in the treatment of RDS. However, there is disagreement concerning the advantage of HFOV over CV in the treatment of RDS in preterm infants regarding the prevention of death, BPD, intraventricular hemorrhage, and periventricular leucomalacia in the short term. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of HFOV and CV in preterm infants with severe RDS.