The aim of newborn resuscitation is to establish effective spontaneous breathing or assist ventilation of the lungs within the first few minutes of life.
The different devices that can be used to resuscitate infants at birth include self-inflating and flow-inflating bags, and T-piece resuscitators.
T-piece resuscitators are typically gas powered and capable of delivering a preset, consistent, and controlled peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). Some international resuscitation guidelines, such as the ANZCOR guideline, recommend primary use of T-piece resuscitators, based on consensus opinion.5
T-piece resuscitation delivers consistent and controlled PIP and PEEP, helping to protect the lungs from injury and also establish and maintain functional residual capacity (FRC). FRC is the volume of air that remains in the lungs following a typical expiratory phase. This volume is important for keeping the lungs open post-exhalation and for ensuring adequate pulmonary gas exchange.6
Heated and humidified T-piece resuscitation is a method of delivering warm, humidified gas to an infant during resuscitation at birth. Its use, when compared to resuscitation with cold and dry gas, is associated with a higher rate of normothermia (rectal temperature between 36.5°C - 37.5°C) on admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).7-9 Key mechanisms and benefits of T-piece resuscitation include the following:
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare offers three types of T-piece circuits - classic, ergonomic, and humidified - which can be connected to a mask or endotracheal tube.
The Fisher & Paykel Healthcare resuscitation masks for neonates and infants are available in different sizes to fit a range of patients.