Article Text
Abstract
Objective The Neo-Tee Infant T-piece resuscitator is a disposable T-piece resuscitator. The aim of this bench study was to assess the accuracy of the Neo-Tee using a measurement set-up and settings mimicking clinical practice.
Study design Nine Neo-Tee devices were tested using a face mask interface and a manikin. Pressures were set using the built-in manometer and simultaneously measured at the interface. Peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) were studied under static conditions and positive pressure ventilation (PPV), using a wide range of clinically relevant flows and pressures. Pressures were measured without adjusting for a possible offset of PIP and PEEP after switching from static pressures to PPV. In an additional subset of measurements, PIP/PEEP offsets on the Neo-Tee manometer after starting PPV were adjusted.
Results Under static conditions, setting the PEEP level with the Neo-Tee manometer results in overestimation of the true PEEP applied at the airway opening, with a difference of approximately 1.5 cmH2O. When switching to PPV, this difference almost disappears. In contrast to PEEP, PIP levels measured at the airway opening were accurate.
Adjusting PIP and PEEP on the built-in manometer after starting PPV was necessary in all measurements, but this did not improve the accuracy of the targeted pressure delivery, especially for PEEP. A gas flow rate of 5 L/min was insufficient to reach commonly used PEEP levels of 5 cmH2O.
Conclusion The Neo-Tee T-piece resuscitator is accurate for delivering a static inflation and PPV, but not for delivering continuous positive airway pressure.
- respiratory
- resuscitation
- neonatology
- technology
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Footnotes
Contributors Conception and study design: APDJ, LdG, AHvK. Collection, analysis and interpretation of data: APDJ, LdG, OJN. Drafting the manuscript for important intellectual content: APDJ, LdG, AHvK.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
Data sharing statement All data used in this study are available to LdG, APDJ and AHvK.
Patient consent for publication Not required.