[Surfactant therapy in severe neonatal respiratory failure--multicenter study--II. Surfactant therapy in 10 newborn infants with meconium aspiration syndrome].

As a part of a west german multicenter study (424 patients, 16 hospitals) 10 term neonates ventilated because of severe meconium aspiration syndrome were treated with 1-4 doses of 50 mg/kg/BW of a bovine surfactant (Alveofact). Before treatment respiratory distress was severe (median FiO2: 1.0, median MAD 9.9 mmHg, median OI: 20). Acute improvement ("responders") was shown in 4 patients. All patients survived. Time of mechanical ventilation was 6-26 d. High frequency ventilation was applied in two nonresponders, ECMO in one.