T-Piece Resuscitator or Self Inflating Bag for Positive Pressure Ventilation During Neonatal Resuscitation. A Randomized Controled Trial

Although most newborn infants successfully transit from intrauterine life to extra uterine life without special help but about 10% of neonates require assistance at birth for smooth transition from intra-uterine to extra uterine life. Positive pressure ventilation in delivery room can be provided with self inflating bag which usually does not provide positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) and T-Piece resuscitator (TPR) providing PEEP.

Methodology: Prospective, randomised controlled, non blinded study was conducted at newborn corners, Government Multi-Speciality Hospital, Sector-16, Chandigarh, India. Fifty eligible newborns more than 28 weeks were randomly allocated in two groups. Group 1 of newborns were resuscitated with T-Piece resuscitator and Group 2 with self inflating bag (SIB).

Results: Mean duration of positive pressure ventilation was significantly lesser (P = 0.003) in TPR group (71.48+ 19.0 sec) as compared to SIB (88.48 + 19.28 sec). One minute mean APGAR score in TPR group (5.08 + 1.07) was significantly high (P = 0.02) as compare to SIB (4.4 + 0.91)

Conclusions: Study suggested that T-Piece resuscitator is a better device as compared to SIB as it reduces the duration of positive pressure ventilation and helps to achieve better APGAR score.