Oscillating ventilators

MrsLee22

Anyone else have experience with these? Grayson got put on one today because his blood gases have been pretty wonky lately. The respitory therapist said that they're actually less damaging to their lungs, but poor baby HATES it and has fought it every step of the way. It sucks to see him so upset!

Anyways, any stories to share? How long was your baby on it? How did they do? Was weaning back to the regular vent easy?

JakesBride07

My little girl was on this twice...it is easier on the lungs despite how miserable they are. She was one it for a month and then a week the second time. She is now on CPAP.

OscarQ

Kevin was on the Oscillator twice - I think it was about a week each time.  He was also on the Jet so I have the timing a bit confused although I know he was on the Jet for longer.  Kevin had to be sedated for about a week because he was fighting the Jet and Oscillator so much - he needed to be made to relax and let the machine do it's work.  At one point he was given a paralytic to help him settle down (and he was still a spaz).

njdcgirl

I know it is hard to see them fight it, but like you said it is much easier on their growing lungs. My son was on it for about a week right after birth. I hope your LO does well on it and transitions back to the regular vent quickly.

Kiki11

My son was on the oscillating vent for around 3 weeks.  It was brutal.  I hated not being able to do kangaroo care with him.  It felt like he was never going to get back on the regular vent.  He hated it so much.  They ended up keeping him on a Fentanyl drip to keep him comfortable.  And actually the reason that he transitioned back to the regular vent was because one day the amplitude on the Hi Fi had to be increased (more vibrations) and he HATED that.  He began to desat and they ended up bagging him for 40 minutes.  Finally they decided to try the conventional vent to see if it would make him more comfortable.  And it did.  And when they checked a blood gas an hour later, it was actually better than it had been on the Hi Fi.  I hope your little one doesn't have to stay on it long!

lemen99

Andrew was on a regular vent, then moved to an oscillator when his lung collapsed because it was more gentle.  I don't recall exactly how long he was on it, but maybe 1-2 weeks?  Then he was moved back to the regular vent I think, and then to CPAP after a while, and then after a long time the nasal canula. He did okay on that path.  

He came home without any oxgyen requirements FWIW!

kaylaaimee

Scarlette was on the oscillator for about a week. She was sedated the entire time. It's one of the worst parts I think, seeing your baby on that machine. But it gave her the help she needed. She moved from that to a vent, then bubble cpap, then cpap with rate, then nasal canula. Sometimes she'd move back and forth between the cpap and the canula.

She's coming home w/no oxygen at all.

They did Scarlette's PDA surgery while she was on the oscillator. That is one talented surgeon.

lillyn22

our Julianna was on it  for almost 2 weeks and the drs said it was better for her than the regular vent. She never went back to the reg vent straight to the SYPAP. She did well on it thank god! Hang in there ... it will get easier i promise!

miafromab

DD (23weeks 6 days) was on it for about a week when she was about 1 week old and had sepsis. DD was not really liking it either. It is not as "harsh" as the standard vent. DD did well after just a few days of "jello jiggling" but stayed on it a few more days then back to the reg vent. between the vent and the oscillator vent her total vent days were 36. Then we "graduated to the vapotherm for about a week then nasal cannula for a little over a week.

I hope LO has great results with the oscillator and doesn't have to be on it long.