Feasibility Study of Placement and Surfactant Administration Through a Preterm Size Laryngeal Mask Airway in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates With Respiratory Distress Syndrome

A Single-arm, Prospective Feasibility Study of Placement and Surfactant Administration Through a Preterm Size Laryngeal Mask Airway in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates, With Respiratory Distress Syndrome, at a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Hanoi, Vietnam

Surfactant administration via a supraglottic airway device or laryngeal mask airway (SALSA) is a minimally invasive method of instilling surfactant in the trachea during spontaneous breathing and after applying nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP). However, the procedure has been limited from use in very low birth weight neonates, due to lack of preterm size LMAs, which are now emerging on the market.

The goal of this study is to see if investigators can successfully use a new, smaller laryngeal mask airway (LMA) to place and give surfactant to premature babies with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) who weigh between 750g and 1500g at birth.

The main objectives of the study are to:

• Check the placement of the new, smaller LMA: This includes evaluating the airway, how long it takes to place the LMA, how many attempts are needed, and the baby's stability during the process.
• Evaluate the administration of surfactant using the new LMA: Investigators will look at how the baby responds clinically, any changes in oxygen needs, how many doses of surfactant are required, the level of respiratory support needed, and whether intubation or mechanical ventilation is necessary.
• Ensure the safety of using the new LMA and administering surfactant: Investigators will monitor the baby's stability during the procedure and watch for any adverse events.
• Assess pain during the procedure: Investigators will evaluate pain levels using a pain scale based on video reviews.

Above objectives of feasibility are to be assessed before proceeding to a large randomize clinical trial assessing effectiveness and safety.

Methodology Feasibility will be measure by a combination of real-life observations of the procedure and video-review with synced physiological data (oxygen saturation and heart rate).

Study Site The Phu San Hanoi Hospital, the largest obstetric hospital in northern Vietnam, receives about 40.000 births annually and has a level-III neonatal intensive care unit with capacity of approximately 40 neonates. Approximately 10-15 neonates weighing less than 1500g per month are admitted who receives standard surfactant treatment with IN-tubation-SURfactant-Extubation (INSURE).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Parental informed consent, AND
• Inborn neonate (=born in the hospital), AND
• Gestational age less than 34 + 0 weeks, AND
• Age less than 48 hours, AND
• Birth weight from 750g to 1500g, AND
• Clinical diagnosis of RDS requiring non-invasive respiratory support (CPAP/NIPPV) and fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) 0.30-0.60 to maintain oxygen saturation (SpO2) between 90% and 95%.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severe respiratory insufficiency in need of emergency intubation
• Previous surfactant administration
• Previous mechanical ventilation
• Known pneumothorax
• Major malformations
• Investigators not available