Mechanical ventilation in the newborn; a simplified approach. Part 2: High-frequency ventilation

Vincent Muhlethaler1, Girvan Malcolm

  • 1Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Newborn Care, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia Department of Paediatrics, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.

High frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) is becoming an increasingly popular intervention in the neonatal intensive care unit. This article will attempt to explain the principles of HFOV. It is inherently more difficult to become skilled in this technique than in other forms of mechanical ventilation, so caution is warranted.

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