Nasal continuous positive airway pressure in the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome: an experience from a developing country.

Forty-four premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) were admitted and initially treated with binasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) using Beneveniste's valve and silastic nasal prongs. Twenty-seven cases (61 per cent) were successfully treated compared to 17 cases (39 per cent) who failed to respond to CPAP. Neither gestational age nor birth weight had a detremental effect on the success of nasal CPAP. There was significant improvement of RDS with a mild to moderate degree of severity on CPAP. No pneumothorax was reported in any of our cases. The success group had a significantly lower incidence of infection, apnea, intraventricular haemorrhage and retinopathy of prematurity.