Inhaled Nitric Oxide Treatment for Stabilization and Emergency Medical Transport of Critically Ill Newborns and Infants

Abstract

Stabilization and transport of critically ill newborns and infants is a vital component of regionalized care. With the advent and proliferation of new therapies for the management of severe hypoxemic respiratory failure, emergency medical transport to tertiary care centers increasingly requires novel transport innovations. Inhaled nitric oxide (NO) therapy has been used in the management of severe persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborns (PPHN) and of hypoxemic respiratory failure in older pediatric patients.1-5 We report the use of inhaled NO therapy during transport in six patients with critical hypoxemia. This report describes a practical approach to stabilization and transport of critically ill newborns and infants using inhaled NO.