Knowledge,Attitudes,and Practices of Neonatologists on Palatal Prostheses for Airway and Feeding in Pierre Robin Syndrome: A Nationwide Survey

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of neonatologists in the management of Robin sequence (RS) in order to identify areas that need improvement and enhance the quality of care for infants with RS.

Design

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting

A web-based self-reported questionnaire distributed across India

Participants

Neonatologists (n = 1300) across India, involved in the initial stabilization of infants with RS.

Intervention

Neonatologists were asked to complete the online-based questionnaire with 19 items under 4 domains.

Main Outcome Measure

The descriptive and inferential data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS software version 28 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). The levels of statistical significance were determined using a chi-square test, and multivariate analyses were done to analyze the correlation. P ≤ .05 was considered to be statistically significant.

Results

A total of 1041 valid responses were considered for the survey. The majority of the participants (57.4%) had more than 10 years of experience in their field. Of them, 54% of participants were familiar with the purpose of palatal prostheses, 47% understood their role in mandibular growth, 72% recognized them as the most suitable option for upper airway obstruction. Furthermore, neonatologists in urban areas demonstrated significantly greater knowledge of RS management compared to those in rural or mixed practice settings.

Conclusion

This survey highlights significant gaps in neonatologists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the use of palatal prostheses for airway and feeding management in RS. While awareness exists, further education and training through standardized guidelines are needed to improve understanding and clinical application of this treatment approach across diverse practice settings.