Evaluation of T-piece resuscitator in the delivery room management of pre-term neonates with respiratory distress syndrome in resource-limited settings: A pre-post intervention study

Abstract

The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of the T-piece resuscitator in the delivery room management of pre-term neonates in a resource-limited setting. We compared the incidence rates of delivery room intubation, surfactant replacement therapy, pulmonary air leak syndrome, and pre-term very low birth weight infant mortality, before and after T-piece use. Bi-monthly neonatal resuscitation training sessions were conducted for healthcare providers during the study period. We emphasized hands-on experience with the T-piece resuscitator and delivery room early respiratory care practices during the post-intervention epoch. Our pre- and post-intervention data recorded statistically significant decline in delivery room intubations, a 32% decrease in surfactant replacement therapy, and a 57% decrease in air leaks in pre-term neonates. However, the use of T-piece resuscitator did not have a statistically significant effect on pre-term very low birth weight infant mortality.