Hydrocolloid versus silicone gel for the prevention of nasal injury in newborns submitted to noninvasive ventilation: A randomized clinical trial.

Purpose: To compare the effectiveness of the hydrocolloid and the silicone gel on the nasal protection of the newborns (NBs) during the use of noninvasive ventilation (NIV).

Materials And Methods: Thirty-three NBs were selected. They were randomly divided into three groups of 11 NBs, according to the type of nasal protection used: hydrocolloid, thick silicone gel, and thin silicone gel. The stage of the nasal injury and need for exchanging nasal protection were assessed before the connection to the NIV and every 24 h until the physician's authorization for NIV's suspension.

Results: The mean gestational age was 32.03 ± 3.93 weeks, and the median birth weight was 1760 g (750-3535 g). The incidence of nasal injury using hydrocolloid, thick silicone gel, and a thin silicone gel group was 36.36%, 81.81%, and 72.72%, respectively (p = 0.06). Regarding the injury stage, there was no statistical significance between the three study groups. The hydrocolloid protection type had the best adhesion (p = 0.03) on the NBs' skin.

Conclusions: Although this study was conducted by local practice patterns, the results showed that the hydrocolloid could be the best choice to prevent the nasal septum base injury in the NB submitted to NIV.