NCPAP with a rate

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Specializes in Level II & III NICU, Mother-Baby Unit.

Do any of you know of any ventilators which can give a baby nasal cpap (either with the short prongs or with the little mask) which can be set to give a constant PEEP and a either a set rate or a back-up rate?

For example, a Synchronized NCPAP that gives a constant PEEP of like +3 and then can be set to give say 15 breaths at a PIP of 18 and PEEP +3 either routinely each minute or set as a back-up rate for use as the baby needs it?

We have been using the Infant Star to do this. They had a little breath sensor which we attached to the baby's diaphragm. A few months ago they stopped making the sensors. Now they are stopping making parts for these old dinosaur vents. Unfortunately our new ventillators constantly scream alarms whenever we try to set them to do the back-up rate. The company sent new software for the new vents but it did not resolve the problem.

Any help you can give would be very much appreciated!

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

The unit where I work uses Bird Ventilator, maybe called VIP Bird to administer what they call "NPCPAP", or if using a rate, "NPIMV". The doc's favored form of CPAP is administered through a nasopharyngeal tube. They can then set the vent to just administer CPAP, or if they add a rate, they can specify a PIP and I-time for the rate. The highest they will set a rate will be 20. If the kid fails that, they will buy standard intubation/ventilation.

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Specializes in Level III NICU.

We use the VIP Birds too.

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Specializes in NICU,PICU.

Birds and Dragers

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

See the thread on SiPAP.......Probably a lot cheaper than a vent

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Specializes in Level II & III NICU, Mother-Baby Unit.

Thank you all so very much for responding to my post!

So, you are telling me that the VIP Bird and the Drager ventilators can be set for NPCPAP or NPIMV with a rate and the ventillators do not scream incessantly? Oh my stars, how wonderful!!

Could you do me a favor the next time you are at work, could you scribble down a little more detail about the full name of the vent you use, like "VIP BIRD 2700" or "Drager ......." and post it here? No great detail, just something I can work with to tell our doctors and respiratory therapy department abouty. I'd love the information so we can see if our hospital can purchase or at least trial these ventilators.

At my previous hospital, many years ago, we used the VIP Bird vents and I don't remember having a problem with them alarming constantly when the kids were set on cpap with a rate. We did use a lot of bubble cpap for our nasal prong patients though as I remember.

Thanks again for posting!!

:thankya:

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My unit has been using Dragers for several years. We love them because they are quiet and have several settings for both vented (SIMV, PSVG, etc), and CPAP infants. Infants can be on CPAP and a back-up rate can be dialed in for that reminder to breath. We use it for those micro-premies that we are trialing to remain off intubation. One of our neo docs feels there is a "window of opportunity" to catch these infants in their breathing mode and eliminate the need for intubation.

If any of you are familiar with Dr. Wang at Columbia/Presp. Hospital in New York City, he believes in this idea and is using CPAP and nitric oxide on all premies. He has used back-up rates too.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

We also have Dragers.....they are the best ones in terms of being a bit more quiet, but they alarm enough if the prongs are in LOL.

PremieOne...I have heard Dr. Wang speak...he is awesome! Our docs have been talking about the nitric on preemies, but we are waiting to see if we can get approval to trial this!

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BittyBabyGrower, You are correct on the alarms sounding if the prongs are out. They can also be anoying if your infant is on PSVG and the limited PIP is set too low. The alarm keeps ring low VT and that is when you want to strangle the doc or the machine.

Good Luck on your trial. We were trying to talk our neo docs into using nitric but they said if the infant failed it it would take too long to transport the infant to a tertiary center that has ECMO. They consider our unit too small for this.:smilecoffeecup:

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Specializes in NICU- now learning OR!.
could you scribble down a little more detail about the full name of the vent you use, like "VIP BIRD 2700" or "Drager ......." and post it here?

:thankya:

Someone correct me if I am wrong...we use the VIP Birds and I was told that they are ancient...ie: the manufacturer no longer makes them. It has been discussed that eventually we will have to change to another vent (can't get them serviced, or replacement parts or something....????)

:confused: :confused:

Jenny

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU.
My unit has been using Dragers for several years. We love them because they are quiet and have several settings for both vented (SIMV, PSVG, etc), and CPAP infants. Infants can be on CPAP and a back-up rate can be dialed in for that reminder to breath. We use it for those micro-premies that we are trialing to remain off intubation. One of our neo docs feels there is a "window of opportunity" to catch these infants in their breathing mode and eliminate the need for intubation.

If any of you are familiar with Dr. Wang at Columbia/Presp. Hospital in New York City, he believes in this idea and is using CPAP and nitric oxide on all premies. He has used back-up rates too.

Do you know of any articles/links about using CPAP/NO on all preemies?

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