Outcomes after Introduction of Minimally Invasive Surfactant Therapy in Two Australian Tertiary Neonatal Units

Abstract

To assess the procedural and clinical outcomes associated with the introduction of minimally invasive surfactant therapy (MIST) into standard care at 2 tertiary Australian neonatal intensive care units. A prospective audit was designed before the introduction of MIST in 2018, with data collected over a period of 18months. Procedural data were completed by the clinical team performing MIST, including clinical observations, medication use, and adverse events. The audit team collected demographic data and subsequent clinical outcomes from medical records. There were 135 MIST procedures recorded in 122 infants. For the included infants, the median gestation was 302/7weeks (IQR, 276/7 to 322/7weeks) and birth weight was 1439g (IQR, 982-1958 g). During the MIST procedure, desaturation to a peripheral oxygen saturation of <80% was common, occurring in 75.2% of procedures. Other adverse events included need for positive pressure ventilation (10.6%) and bradycardia <100 beats per minute (13.3%). The use of atropine premedication was associated with a significantly lower incidence of bradycardia: 8.6% vs 52.9% (P<.01). Senior clinicians demonstrated higher rates of procedural success. The majority of infants (63.9%) treated with MIST did not require subsequent intubation and mechanical ventilation. MIST can be successfully introduced in neonatal units with limited experience of this technique. The use of atropine premedication decreases the incidence of bradycardia during the procedure. Success rates can be optimized by limiting MIST to clinicians with greater competence in endotracheal intubation.