Respiratory Support

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.

Baby on nasal CPAP (Reproduced with the kind permission of Simpson Memorial Maternity, UK)