Successful treatment of severe neonatal lobar emphysema by high-frequency oscillatory ventilation

We successfully used high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) for treating severe acquired lobar emphysema in two premature newborn infants (birth weights, 1,450 and 1,300 g). After successful weaning from mechanical ventilation for hyaline membrane disease, they needed additional ventilatory support because they developed severe lobar emphysema compressing the residual lung. In both patients, radiographic signs of lobar emphysema disappeared completely after 3 days of HFOV. Diagnosis and follow-up were confirmed by high-resolution computed tomography. We conclude that HFOV may be a useful noninvasive method for treating severe lobar emphysema.