In addition to the well established relationship between pulmonary immaturity and lung injury, premature newborns must deal with a variety of cardiopulmonary challenges. The clinical scientists of MANA are currently engaged in a number of projects targeting some of those challenges:
- Predicting Extubation Success: This prospective clinical trial is designed to determine whether a standardized pre-extubation trial of pressure support ventilation will predict the likelihood of successful extubation of infants on mechanical ventilation. Less time on a respirator is expected to reduce lung injury.
- Management of Infants with PDA: MANA physician-scientists are participating in a national, mulit-center clinical trial designed to determine whether conservative or aggressive management of the PDA in VLBW infants leads to a better outcome.
- Assessment of the Hemodynamics of PDA: Scientists at MANA are assessing the value of various pulse oximetry parameters in assessing the hemodynamics of the PDA. Our goal is to reduce the need for surgical ligation by identifying hemodynamically significant flow early and initiating medical treatment in time to avert some of the serious consequences of PDAs.
- Apnea of Prematurity: Several clinicians have focused critical attention on the criteria which distinguish life-threatening apnea and bradycardia from the more benign developmental phenomenon of periodic breathing. Our goal is to get babies home with their families as quickly as possible.