Abstract
The neonatal intensive care units of the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam and the Academic Hospital in Leiden have treated 332 babies with IRDS with Curosurf® until 1992. Curosurf is a natural surfactant preparation, isolated from minced porcine lungs. The mean gestational age of the group was 29,4 weeks (range 24-36 weeks) and the mean birth weight was 1346 gram (range 550-2980 gram). Curosurf® was given therapeutically in newborns who required artificial ventilation with a minimal inspired oxygen fraction of 40%. The mean required time of artificial ventilation was 7,5 days. The mortality was 31%, the incidence of pneumothorax 21% and bronchopulmonary dysplasia was diagnosed in 29% of the patients. The mortality was related to gestational age. The mortality of the group with a gestational age of less than 28 weeks came to 57%. One of the problems concerning surfactant-therapy is an optimal identification of the newborns who really need surfactant. Other problems that need to be solved are related to the type of surfactant, the dose, the timing and the mode of administration.
| Translated title of the contribution | Clinical experience with surfactant therapy |
|---|---|
| Original language | Dutch |
| Pages (from-to) | 75-78 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Tijdschrift voor Kindergeneeskunde |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 1994 |