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Published on: June 5, 2019

Effect of body position on ventilation distribution in ventilated preterm infants

Judith L Hough1, Leanne Johnston, Sandy Brauer

  • 1Critical Care of the Newborn Program, Mater Medical Research Institute, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia. judith.hough@mater.org.au

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine : a Journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies
|January 15, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Body position impacts lung ventilation distribution in preterm infants. Electrical impedance tomography revealed gravity has minimal effect on ventilation distribution in ventilated infants, unlike spontaneously breathing ones.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Physiology
  • Respiratory Mechanics
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Optimizing lung ventilation is crucial for premature infants, impacting oxygen transport and gas exchange.
  • Previous research suggests the prone position benefits ventilation, but regional distribution data in preterm infants is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the influence of body position on regional ventilation distribution.
  • To compare ventilated and non-ventilated preterm infants using electrical impedance tomography.

Main Methods:

  • Randomized crossover study in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
  • 24 ventilated and 6 spontaneously breathing preterm infants participated.
  • Infants were assessed in supine, prone, and quarter prone positions.

Main Results:

  • Spontaneously breathing infants showed increased ventilation in posterior and right lung regions.
  • Ventilated infants displayed no significant differences in regional ventilation distribution based on position.
  • Ventilation inhomogeneity was higher in ventilated infants compared to healthy controls.
  • Temporal lung filling differed: posterior lung filled earlier in spontaneously breathing infants, right lung in ventilated infants.

Conclusions:

  • Gravity appears to have a limited effect on regional ventilation distribution in preterm infants, contrary to prior studies.
  • Findings suggest that body positioning may not significantly alter ventilation distribution in ventilated preterm infants.
Abstract

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