Evaluation of mechanical ventilation in newborn infants. I. Techniques and survival rates.

The short-term outcome with survival rate, causes of death and neonatal complications in a 6-year material comprising 253 infants treated with intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) in the neonatal period has been analyzed in relation to different primary disorders necessitating IPPV treatment. The total survival rate was 53%. For the different diagnoses the survival rates were: hyaline membrane disease (HMD) 41%, apnoea repetens of immaturity 85%, severe birth asphyxia 46% and septicemia 59%. The total rate of pneumothorax during IPPV was 15% but occurred more often in the HMD group (28%). Trends in survival rates over the study period are discussed as are measurements for improvements.