Balanced Anesthesia for Intubation of Premature Infants

Balanced Anesthesia for Intubation of Newborn Premature Infants - a Randomized Intervention Study

The study aim is to compare a balanced anesthesia of the medicines used in all other age groups with the routine premedication in use for premature's with regards to the success in the intubation procedure, the need for analgesia during and after intubation and the stress reaction. In addition a pain scale for prolonged stress/pain for premature neonates in NICU-care will be validated, and the individual pharmacogenetic profile in relation to the need of morphine after the intubation will be investigated. The hypothesis is that balanced anesthesia before intubation facilitates the procedure, decreases the amount of stress and pain related to it, and causes a decreased need for analgesia after the intubation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• <37 gw at birth
• <72 hours postnatal age, not previously intubated and no analgetics or sedatives the last 12 hours or >72 hours postnatal age, primary or reintubation
• Informed consent from parents

Exclusion Criteria:

• Intubation directly postnatally at the delivery room
• Asphyxia (apgar <4 at 10 min, Umb-pH <7,0
• S-Potassium > 6,5
• Major malformations
• Postsurgery intubation
• Included in an other intervention study first week in life
• Other intervention study