A device providing continuous negative distending pressure will be tested in preterm neonates suffering from retractions due to respiratory distress to determine effects on 1) chest wall distortion and 2) improvement in ventilation. The neonate's compliant chest allows the chest to collapse during inspiration, decreasing respiratory efficiency. The proposed devise will prevent retractions and decrease the work of breathing. The device offers advantages over current neonatal respiratory care techniques because it will avert the problems associated with positive pressure ventilation such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia and intraventricular hemorrhage. Whole body plethysmography, face mask pneumotachography and inductive plethysmography will be used to non-invasively and continuously monitor pulmonary function and chest/abdomen synchrony. Following a period of baseline measurements, the device will be applied for a duration of two hours during which time quantitative measurements of pulmonary function, cardiovascular parameters and thoracoabdominal asynchrony, will be stored for later analysis. It is anticipated that the device will provide significant relief to developing neonates by preventing atelectasis without high mean airway pressure, increasing gas exchange and reducing work of breathing. This lo- cost device may aid in reduction of the length of patient stay and help reduce the cost of hospitalization. Proposed Commercial Application: There are two potential commercial applications of this research, (a) a chest brace and device that passively provides a low-cost, non-invasive means of alleviating respiratory distress in neonates; (b) a chest brace device that provides active ventilation to neonates.
Thesaurus Terms: biomedical equipment development, clinical biomedical equipment, human therapy evaluation, newborn human (0-6 weeks), respirator clinical research, human subject
