Total face mask with neurally adjusted ventilatory assist as a rescue therapy in infants with severe bronchiolitis

Vladimir L Cousin; Tiphaine Corbisier; Peter C Rimensberger; Angelo Polito; Alice Bordessoule

doi:10.1007/s00431-024-05543-1

Total face mask with neurally adjusted ventilatory assist as a rescue therapy in infants with severe bronchiolitis

Eur J Pediatr. 2024 Jul;183(7):2813-2817. doi: 10.1007/s00431-024-05543-1. Epub 2024 Apr 6.

Authors

Vladimir L Cousin¹, Tiphaine Corbisier², Peter C Rimensberger², Angelo Polito², Alice Bordessoule²

Affiliations

¹ Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Geneva, University of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1206, Geneva, Switzerland. Vladimir.cousin@hcuge.ch.
² Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Geneva, University of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1206, Geneva, Switzerland.

Abstract

Severe bronchiolitis patients are often supported with non-invasive ventilation (NIV). In case of NIV failure, we recently started to use non-invasive neurally adjusted ventilatory assist ventilation (NIV-NAVA) with a total face mask interface (TFM) and report now our experience with this modality of respiratory support. Retrospective study was made from October 2022 to May 2023 at the Geneva University Hospital Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Inclusion criteria were children, aged from 0 to 6 months, with severe bronchiolitis with initial NIV failure and switch to NIV-NAVA-TFM. From 49 children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-induced bronchiolitis requiring any form of respiratory support, 10 (median age 61 days (IQR 44-73) failing CPAP or NIV underwent rescue treatment with NIV-NAVA using a TFM. Patients were switched to TFM-NIV-NAVA 8 h (IQR 3-22) after admission for 24.5 h (IQR 13-60). After initiation of TFM-NIV-NAVA, oxygenation improved significantly as early as 1 h after initiation, whereas transcutaneous CO₂ values remained stable. None of the patients needed to be intubated and there was no episode of TFM discontinuation due to interface discomfort or other unwanted side effects. Sedation was used in all patients with high proportion of intravenous dexmedetomidine. Median ventilatory assistance duration was 2.5 days (IQR 2-4) and median PICU stay was 4.5 (IQR 3-6). Conclusion: In infants with severe RSV-induced bronchiolitis, respiratory support with TFM-NIV-NAVA seems to be feasible as a rescue therapy and might be considered in selected patients. What is Known: • Bronchiolitic patients with NIV support failure may require invasive mechanical ventilation. • Interface related complications, especially facial sores, can be a cause of NIV failure. What is New: • Total face mask with non-invasive neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (TFM-NIV-NAVA) seems feasible as a rescue therapy in deteriorating patients with CPAP or NIV failure. • TFM-NIV-NAVA can improve oxygenation rapidly in patients with aggravating hypoxemia and seems to be well tolerated.

Keywords: Bronchiolitis; Full-face mask; NAVA; Non-invasive ventilation; PICU.

MeSH terms

Bronchiolitis / therapy
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Intensive Care Units, Pediatric
Interactive Ventilatory Support* / methods
Male
Masks*
Noninvasive Ventilation* / methods
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / complications
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / therapy
Retrospective Studies
Treatment Outcome