The primary purpose of Nasal Cannula (NC) is to give more oxygen. shown how NC might change respiratory patterns and apply continual displacing pressure to newborns. compared the use of Nasal Cannula at flows up to 2.5 L/min with NCPAP produced by a ventilator utilising Argyle prongs (Argyle-Sherwood Medical Corporation, St. Louis, Mo.) in preterm babies who were already receiving NCPAP for apnea of prematurity. All of the babies in this crossover research began off on NCPAP. The infants were switched to NC for additional six hours after the initial six. By monitoring esophageal pressures, the authors evaluated delivered airway pressure. Sreenan's team discovered that the Nasal Cannula could provide a similar constant displacing pressure.
The weight of the newborn affected the quantity of flow needed to produce similar pressures. The incidence and length of apnea, bradycardia, or desaturation events were same between the two systems. With nonhumidified Nasal Cannula, flow rates typically range from 0.5 to 2 L/min. Low-flow NC may have a drying impact on nasal secretions due to the nonhumidified nature of the gases utilised, which might induce blockage or localised bleeding.
