[Current application of noninvasive ventilation in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome]

In order to reduce the serious complications associated with invasive mechanical ventilation, non-invasive ventilation (NIV) has increasingly been chosen as the primary ventilation in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). In the last 4 decades, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) has been as a main, or even the only mode of NIV in preterm infants with RDS. In the recent decade, improvements in sensors and nasal airway interfaces have resulted in the introduction of a variety of other new types of NIV, such as nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV), bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP). Subsequent studies have shown that some new modes may be more superior to NCPAP in preterm infants with RDS. In order to further understand the application of various NIV modes, we review literatures about all kinds of NIV as a primary mode of ventilation in preterm infants with RDS.