| Continuous
Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
Continuous Positive
Airway Pressure (CPAP) is a very different type of
respiratory support, it does not require intubation of the
baby (when an ET tube is inserted into the baby’s windpipe);
the CPAP machine gently blows oxygen/air into the baby’s
lungs through prongs placed either in the baby’s nostrils
(known as nasal CPAP) or with small mask.
The CPAP ventilator supplies
oxygen/air at a low pressure that keeps the baby’s lungs
expanded and decreases the risks of lung damage to the baby.
This type of ventilation is particularly suitable for those
babies that can breathe spontaneously but that need some support.
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Baby
on nasal CPAP
(Reproduced with the
kind permission
of Simpson Memorial
Maternity, UK) |
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