Trends in use and outcome of newborn infants treated with high frequency ventilation in Australia and New Zealand, 1996-2003

Abstract

Aim: To examine the use of high frequency ventilation (HFV) to treat newborn infants in Australia and New Zealand and the associated complications and outcomes. Methods: Data for all infants receiving HFV were collected from the 28 neonatal intensive care units contributing to the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network database between 1996 and 2003, inclusive. For comparison, the same data were gathered on all infants who received conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) and nasal continuous positive airway pressure. Results: HFV was used to treat 3270 infants (10.1% of all ventilated infants) between 1996 and 2003; uptake doubled during this period from 5.9% to 12.6% of ventilated in..