Non-invasive Ventilation for Extubation Success in Infants Less Than 1,250 Grams

In preterm infants, endotracheal mechanical ventilation is well known to cause various forms of lung injury including volutrauma, barotrauma and oxytrauma - collectively known as ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). As such, there is a move towards non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in recent decades. However, many infants placed on NIV modes fail and require intubation. A relatively recent mode of NIV is non-invasive high frequency ventilation (NIHFV). Studies on this modality are scarce, but do suggest that neonates can be ventilated effectively. However, its efficacy in comparison with other existing modes of NIV remains unknown due to lack of appropriate studies. The investigators hypothesize that NIHFV is a superior NIV mode than Biphasic Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (BP-NCPAP) in preterm infants in preventing intubation following NCPAP failure.