Percutaneous oxygen delivery to the preterm infant.

The feasibility of delivering therapeutically useful amounts of oxygen percutaneously was investigated in 13 preterm infants. Their gestation ranged from 25 to 31 weeks and all were being ventilated for severe respiratory distress. Raising the ambient oxygen concentration resulted in an increase in arterial oxygen tension of 4.5 to 13.8 mm Hg (mean 8.9 mm Hg) as a result of percutaneous oxygen absorption. The change was greatest in the least mature infants and in those with the weakest epidermal barrier. Transdermal oxygen therapy can usefully supplement oxygen delivery to very premature infants with poor pulmonary gas exchange.