[Clinical and laboratorial repercussions of the nasal CPAP in preterm newborns]

Satisfaction of Health Professionals Regarding the Short Binasal Prong Used as a Non-Invasive Ventilation Interface in Neonatology

Purpose

To evaluate the health professionals' satisfaction regarding the short binasal prong used in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU), evaluate the difficulties related to its use, and present possible improvements in the design of this device.

Patients and Methods

Observational, cross-sectional study with prospective data collection carried out in the NICU of a public hospital in southern Brazil. This research was presented into two stages. In the first stage, the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology was applied with 90 health professionals to evaluate the satisfaction regarding the short binasal prong. In the second stage, the health professional's experiences and difficulties in using the binasal prongs in 14 newborns (NBs) that required non-invasive ventilation was collected. The short binasal prongs used was the Fanem® brand and the CPAP circuit was Gabisa Medical International (GMI®). Finally, improvements and recommendations were presented to optimize the device's design.

Results

The mean score of the health professionals' satisfaction with short binasal prongs was 3.8 ± 0.6. Ease of adjustment (3.27) and dimensions (3.62) variables had the worst scores. The main difficulties pointed out by health professionals were: circuit disconnection (57.1%), the size of the prong did not correspond to NBs' anatomical characteristics (35.7%), air leakage (21.4%), and difficulty in fixing and positioning the prong in the NB (14.28%). The improvements suggested were: appropriate prong sizes based on the anatomical characteristics of the NBs; adjustable distance between insertion and base catheters; manufactured with malleable material, however not easily foldable; curved and adjustable insertion catheters and functional system of tracheas' connection.

Conclusion

The dissatisfaction of health professionals with the dimensions and prongs adjustments and the difficulties faced in clinical practice indicate the need for improvements in these interfaces. The recommendations presented in this study may contribute to optimizing the design of the binasal prong in the future.

Nasal Prongs: Risks, Injuries Incidence and Preventive Approaches Associated with Their Use in Newborns

Purpose

To assess the incidence of nasal injury in newborns submitted to non-invasive ventilation (NIV) via binasal prongs, to identify risks that come with using this interface, and to present actions for nasal injury prevention.

Patients and Methods

Observational and descriptive study performed in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a public hospital in the south of Brazil. This research was divided into three stages. In the first one, nasal injury incidence was assessed in 148 newborns, using data collection from medical records. In the second stage, injury incidence, severity and a preliminary analysis of risks associated with the prescription of binasal prongs were analyzed in 33 newborns who required NIV. In the third stage. recommendations were presented to prevent nasal injury during NIV with short binasal prong.

Results

The incidence of nasal injury in the first stage was 37.16%, and 63.64% in the second one. As for severity, 68.42% of the injuries showed Stage I severity, and 31.58% Stage II. The main risks associated with the use of binasal prongs were inappropriate prong size, inappropriate prong model, interface reuse, prolonged NIV use exclusively with binasal prongs, incorrect prong position and NIV circuit pulled. A total of 17 preventive approaches were recommended: 13 related to newborns care and not dependent on prior investment. Among them: to choose appropriate prong size; to keep the prong and the NIV circuit well positioned and periodically massages with circular movements in the nasal septum and columella.

Conclusion

The inappropriate prong size, interface reuse, prong model, prolonged NIV use with binasal prong and incorrect prong and NIV circuit position may be associated with the high occurrence of injury in the NICU studied. Simple approaches concerning clinical staff care actions towards the newborn in NIV, which do not require a financial investment, can prevent nasal injury.

Nasal septum injury in preterm infants using nasal prongs

OBJECTIVE:

to assess the incidence and risk factors associated with nasal septum injury in premature infants using reused and new nasal prongs.

METHOD:

the study was a cohort from an open therapeutic intervention. The sample included 70 infants with a gestational age inferior to 37 weeks, who used nasal prongs and were hospitalized at the neonatal service of a hospital in Recife-PE, in the Northeast of Brazil. The data were collected in patient files through the assessment of the application of the device and of the nasal septum. Multinomial Logistic Regression and Survival analyses were applied.

RESULTS:

the incidence of nasal injury corresponded to 62.9%. In the multiple analysis, only the length of the infant's treatment was a determinant factor for the occurrence and severity of the injuries.

CONCLUSION:

the type of nasal prong does not serve as a risk factor for the nasal injury. The high incidence of nasal injury indicates the need to adapt the nursing care with emphasis on prevention.

[Influence of body position on the displacement of nasal prongs in preterm newborns receiving continuous positive airway pressure]

Objective:

To evaluate the influence of body position on the displacement of nasal prongs in preterm infants.

Methods:

This prospective, randomized, crossover study enrolled infants born at a mean gestational age of 29.7±2 weeks, birth weight of 1353±280g and 2.9±2.2 days of life, submitted to continuous positive airway pressure by nasal prongs. The main outcome was the number of times that the nasal prongs were displaced following infant positioning in the following body positions: prone, right lateral, left lateral, and supine, according to a pre-established random order. Moreover, cardiorespiratory variables (respiratory rate, heart rate, and oxygen saturation) were evaluated for each body position. Data for each position were collected every 10 min, over a period of 60 min. An occurrence was defined when the nasal prongs were displaced from the nostrils after 3 min in the desired position, requiring intervention of the examiner.

Results:

Among the 16 studied infants, the occurrence of nasal prong displacement was only observed in the prone position (9 infants - 56.2%) and in the left lateral position (2 infants - 12.5%). The number of times that the prongs were displaced was 11 in the prone position (7 within the first 10min) and 2 in the left lateral position (1 within the first 10min). No clinically significant changes were observed in the cardiorespiratory variables.

Conclusions:

Maintenance of the nasal prongs to provide adequate noninvasive respiratory support was harder in the prone position.