Comparison of neurally-adjusted ventilator assist in infants before and after extubation.

Background: To compare invasive (iNAVA) and non-invasive (nivNAVA) neurally adjusted ventilatory assist in infants, respect to gas exchange, breathing pattern, respiratory drive, infant-ventilator interaction and synchrony, vital parameters and required sedation.

Methods: Ten consecutive intubated term infants admitted for respiratory failure of different etiology underwent to 2-hour not-randomized trials of iNAVA and, after extubation, nivNAVA, the latter with unchanged ventilator settings and with air-leaks compensating software. Arterialized capillary blood was sampled at the end of each trial.