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Updated: Apr 5, 2026
A Minimally Invasive Method for Intratracheal Instillation of Drugs in Neonatal Rodents to Treat Lung Disease
Published on: August 4, 2021
Challenges Associated with Route of Administration in Neonatal Drug Delivery
Matthew W Linakis1,2, Jessica K Roberts1, Anita C Lala3
1Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA.
Abstract:
The administration of drugs to neonates poses significant challenges. The aim of this review was to provide insight into some of these challenges and resolutions that may be encountered with several of the most commonly used routes of administration and dosage forms in neonatal care, including oral, parenteral, transdermal, intrapulmonary, and rectal. Important considerations include fluctuations in stomach pH hours to years after birth, the logistics of setting up an intravenous infusion, the need for reduced particle size for aerosol delivery to the developing neonatal lung, and variation in perirectal venous drainage. Additionally, some of the recently developed technologies for use in neonatal care are described. While the understanding of neonatal drug delivery has advanced over the past several decades, there is still a deficiency of technologies and formulations developed specifically for this population.
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