Nitric

[makenzee28]

RN Case manager in a west coast NICU here,

I now have grandaughter born @ 26 weeks way far away 800 gms, had PDA surgery @ 5 days old, recovered, clear head US,then started feeding and after a few days developed infection? viral? respiratory illness, placed on vent NPO, lasix, dopamine, fentanyl, steroids, now they are wanting to try Nitric. I feel helpless because I am 2000 miles away. Can anyone give me some information on what they think and how much of this they have seen? Our NICU is more conservative in treatment so am not understanding all the high tech push. Bless you all. Makenzee

[SteveNNP, MSN, NP]

Sounds like a typical sepsis plan of care.

The nitric oxide is for PPHN, which can be brought on by infection. It is a very safe therapy.

Unfortunately, we can't offer medical advice on this board. Perhaps you can make a list of questions for your son/daughter to ask the medical team there?

[dawnebeth]

We use nitric oxide a great deal in our nursery. First it was mainly for pulmonary hypertension, and worked very well. Nitric works on the pulmonary vascularture, causing vaso-dilation to make it easier to get the oxygen out of the lungs and into the rest of the body

Now there is a study going on to see if NO prevents BPD in preemies under one thousand grams, with specific parameters for putting the baby on and tapering it off. So, nearly every baby in our unit has been on NO for at least a short time.

Dawn