[Mechanical ventilation of newborn infants in Punta Arenas]

A retrospective evaluation of 136 newborns treated with mechanical ventilation between 1983 and 1989 at the chilean's southernmost regional hospital of Punta Arenas is presented. Seventy five percent of neonates had birthweights under 2,500 g and 39% of them were under 1,500 g. Lethality was higher in infants less than 1,500 g birthweight (43.4%). The most frequent cause of death was periventricular and or intraventricular hemorrhage, occurring in 20 among 26 deaths. Lethality was lower among patients with birthweights 1,500 g throughout 2,499 g (16.7%). The most frequent disease requiring mechanical ventilation was hyaline membrane disease (62.5%): lethality for these patients was 25.9%. Complications developed in 43.4% of mechanically ventilated newborns, the most frequent being obstruction of the endotracheal tube and atelectasis.