Evaluation of triggering systems for patient triggered ventilation for neonates ventilator-dependent beyond 10 days...

The performance of two triggering systems was compared during patient triggered ventilation (PTV) of infants ventilator-dependent beyond 10 days of age. Ten infants were studied who had a median gestational age of 26.5 weeks and a postnatal age of 15.5 days. PTV was administered via the SLE ventilator and the two triggering systems, an airway pressure monitor and the MR10 respiration monitor, were used in random order each for 30 min. The airway pressure trigger had a superior performance in that, although it did not differ significantly in delivered inflation volume or sensitivity to the MR10 respiration monitor, it had a shorter trigger delay (P < 0.01). Oxygenation improved in eight of the ten infants on the airway pressure trigger, but only in three on the MR10 respiration monitor. The reduction in PaCO2 was greater during PTV with the airway pressure trigger compared with the MR10 respiration monitor (P < 0.01). We conclude that the airway pressure trigger has a superior performance compared to the MR10 respiration monitor trigger in infants who are ventilator-dependent beyond 10 days of age.