Minimally Invasive Surfactant Therapy (MIST) vs intubate-surfactant-extubate (InSurE) technique, in a Peruvian Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Abstract Objective To compare the outcomes of premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome treated by minimally invasive surfactant therapy (MIST) vs intubate-surfactant-extubate (InSurE) in a Level-3 NICU in Peru. Study Design: We analyzed a historical cohort with InSurE technique vs a prospective cohort with MIST. Surfactant was administered through a feeding tube in MIST cohort.Results 91 patients included, 48 treated by InSurE and 43 by MIST. Groups were similar in gestational age and birth weight, had poor prenatal care. There were no differences in demographic characteristics, nor in main outcomes: need for mechanical ventilation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia or mortality. The duration of mechanical ventilation, time of oxygen therapy and hospital stay were similar.Conclusions Our study shows that reduction of intubation for surfactant administration in preterm neonates with RDS can be achieved by MIST. No difference in outcomes between MIST and InSurE in preterm infants with RDS.