Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia - Treatment - Treatment

Newborns who have BPD often need breathing support, or oxygen therapy, until their lungs start making enough surfactant. Until recently, a mechanical ventilator usually was used. The ventilator was connected to a breathing tube that ran through the newborn's mouth or nose into the windpipe.

Today, more and more newborns are receiving breathing support from NCPAP. NCPAP gently pushes air into the baby's lungs through prongs placed in the newborn's nostrils.

Treatment in the NICU helps limit stress on babies and meet their basic needs of warmth, nutrition, and protection. Such treatment may include:

• Checking liquid intake to make sure that fluid does not build up in the baby’s lungs.
• Checking pulmonary artery pressure with echocardiography for moderate or severe BPD.
• Checking the amount of oxygen in the blood using sensors on fingers or toes.
• Giving fluids and nutrients through needles or tubes inserted into the newborn’s veins. This helps prevent malnutrition and promotes growth. Nutrition is critical to the growth and development of the lungs. Later, babies may be given breast milk or newborn formula through feeding tubes that are passed through their noses or mouths and into their stomachs or intestines.
• Measuring blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and temperature through sensors taped to the baby’s body.
• Using a radiant warmer or incubator to keep newborns warm and reduce the risk of hypothermia.

As BPD improves, babies are slowly weaned off NCPAP or ventilators until they can breathe on their own. These newborns will likely need oxygen therapy for some time.

Newborns who have BPD may spend several weeks or months in the hospital. This allows them to get the care they need, which may include:

• Tracheostomy to provide long-term ventilator support. A tracheostomy is a surgically made hole. It goes through the front of the neck and into the trachea, or windpipe. Your child's doctor will put the breathing tube from the ventilator through the hole. A tracheostomy can allow your baby to interact more with you and the NICU staff, start talking, and develop other skills.
• Physical therapy to help strengthen your child's muscles and clear mucus out of the lungs.