All issues > Volume 30(7); 1987

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1987;30(7):727-734. Published online July 31, 1987.

Pulmonary Air Leaks in the Newborn.

Myung Chul Cho¹, Beyong Il Kim¹, Son Moon Shin¹, Jung Hwan Choi¹, Chong Ku Yun¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, college of medicine, Seoul, National University,Korea.

Abstract

A clinical study was performed on 17 cases of pulmonary air leaks in the newborn who were admitted to the NICU of SNUH from Jan. 1980 to Jun. 1986. The results were as follows: 1) Spontaneous air leaks were 2 cases (11.8%) and secondary air leaks were 15 cases (88.2%). 2) Of the 17 cases of pulmonary air leaks, 9 cases (53.0%) were premature infants, 10 cases (58.8%) were infants of low birth weight, 15 cases (88.2%) had moderate to severe birth asphyxia, 9 cases (53.0%) had hyaline membrane disease, and 6 cases (35.3%) had meconium aspiration syndrome. 3) The clinical manifestations were tachypnea (88.2%), cyanosis (82.4%), irritability (70.6%), bradycardia (64.7%), and hypotension (58.8%) in order of frequency, and 12 cases (70.6%) were developed within 3 days after birth. 4) The sites of pulmonary air leaks were pneumothorax in 15 cases (88.2%), pulmonary interstitial emphysema in 5 cases (29.4%), subcutaneous emphysema in 5 cases (23.5%), pneumomediastinum in 3 cases (17.6%), and pneumoperitoneum in 1 case (5.9%). Of the 15 cases of pneumothroax, right pneumothorax were 12 cases (80%), and tension pneumothorax were 11 cases (73%). 5) The resuscitation modes were intubation c Ambu-bagging in 2 cases (13.3%), intubation c CPAP in 2 cases (13.3%) and intubation c IPPB in 11 cases (73.3%). 6) Two cases of spontaneous air leaks were improved with oxygen therapy, but the mortality of secondary air leaks was 80% in spite of intensive care.

Keywords :Pulmonary air leak