322 Oropharyngeal Suctioning in Newborn Infants Impairs Cerebral Oxygenation During Transition After Birth

Abstract

Background: Oropharyngeal suctioning during transition after birth can induce bradycardia and/ or apnoea. These are reasons for restrictive approach. Objectives: Aim of the study was to investigate the influence of oropharyngeal suctioning on cerebral and peripheral oxygen saturation during transition after birth. Methods: In a prospective randomized study term newborn infants were measured during the first ten minutes after elective caesarean section. In the suctioning group oropharyngeal suctioning was done for five seconds in the first minute of life. In the control group no suctioning was done. Regional tissue oxygenation (rSO2) was measured of the brain, preductal peripheral tissue (right forearm) and postductal (left calf) peripheral tissue using near-infrared-spectroscopy (INVOS 5100, Somanetics). Heart rate and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) were measured preductal (right hand) and postductal (left foot) with pulseoxymetry. Results: 20 newborn infants were included in each group. All showed normal adaptation. Five minutes after birth in the suctioning group cerebral rSO2 (58±23% vs. 70±13%) and postductal SaO2 (70±19% vs. 82±11%) were significantly lower compared to the control group rSo2 of preductal (44±22% vs. 51±17%) and postductal peripheral tissue (36±19% vs. 39± 13%), as well as preductal SaO2 (80±13% vs 84±8%) tended to be lower in the suctioning group compared to the control group, but without reaching significance. Ten minutes after birth, there were no significant differences. Heart rate did not show significant differences between both groups. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that oropharyngeal suctioning impairs cerebral tissue oxygenation (rSO2) and postductal SaO2 during transition after birth.