Grant: Project Grant

Nowadays, treatment of respiratory insufficiency by mechanical respiratory support is delivered non-invasively whenever possible. A nasal mask or small nasal cannulae are used to avoid the complications related to the traditional albeit more invasive placement of a tube deep into the trachea (wind pipe). The air mechanically insufflated at positive pressure into the nasal passages and the throat however does not always flows freely into the lungs. It can be stopped by the reflex closure of the larynx (voice box), which defends the entrance of the trachea, and/or deviated into the stomach via the esophagus (food pipe). Alteration of esophageal function can ensue. Our research program uses preterm lambs to understand the interplay between non-invasive respiratory support, laryngeal and esophageal function in preterm infants. Our team is internationally recognized for having a unique capacity to perform such animal model studies. The expected results ultimately will assist the clinician in selecting the optimal respiratory support for premature infants.