Talk to me about oscillating vents...

DrRx

My little girl, born at just over 26 weeks, has been in the NICU for 19 days.  The last couple of days her breathing has deteriorated, and this morning she was placed on an oscillating vent instead of the conventional vent that she has been on.  They are going to start steroids on her today and also gave her a blood transfusion (her hematocrit was low-ish). 

I was just wondering if any of you ladies had experience with your LO having to go on an oscillating vent and what happened, etc.  Any advice or information will be very helpful.  

TIA!

ijustcantthinkrightnow

My twins were 26 weekers as well. DD spent many days on the oscillating vent and had steriods twice to wean her off O2 support. Aside from the fact that the machine is big and scary, and in some ways felt like a step back, it really is much gentler and "better" for her lungs.

I can tell you girls are very fiesty and have the highest success rates in the NICU... And I can also tell you my little 1lb 10oz girl, just turned a year old and is no longer a peanut, weighing in now at 19 lbs 10zs. She came home after 153 days in the NICU on no oxygen support what so ever.

Lots of T&Ps'... keep us posted.

irishdo

The oscillator gets a bad rap, I feel.  Likely because it is not the first type of ventilator often used.  It really is much gentler on the lungs and can allow them to heal more.  If you think about a traditional vent, every breath the machine gives can cause trauma to a fragile preemies lungs.  With a traditional vent pressure is used to inflate and deflate the lungs, with an oscillator the lungs never really deflate so they they can use less pressure with faster breaths to promote ventilation (really simplified).  The trade off is that it is loud and scary looking and your baby shakes like Santas belly and most places will not let you hold a baby on an oscillator.

I am sorry she is hitting a rough patch, most of them do.  I felt like I got punched in the gut when my son all of a sudden needed more support from the vent and more O2.  but the trade off was that it helped him through his PDA and he did not need surgery or meds to close it. 

Lots of good thoughts for you all.

Mrs. Alice

I don't have any experience since my LOs were only on conventional vents, but there are plenty of other mamas on here who do.  I'm sending my T&Ps to your little girl.  Keep us updated when you can!

lemen99

Andrew was on one started at about 1 week old lasting for a few days.  It is more gentle on their little lungs.  he needed one because he developed a hole in his lung and a collapsed lung.  He is 3 years old now and no lingering lung issues.

jenifairies

Layla was on an oscillator for her first month, maybe even a bit longer (she was born at 24w and a lot of it blurs together now). Part of the extended length of time is because her PDA wouldn't close on meds and she had to have the ligation surgery. After she had that she came off the vent pretty quickly.

She had 5-6 blood transfusions during her stay as well. She was released two weeks ago tomorrow at 5# and is doing GREAT. She's on a tiny bit of oxygen now, mostly for feedings, and should be off completely within a few weeks.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. We were just there, so things are fresh.

ChickensFive

My LO was on one a couple times and I cried each she was put on it. Like PP said it is a scary machine but it deos get a bad rap and it is more gentle than a conventional vent (even though it looks harsh it is only giving constant puffs of oxygen while the conventional vent gives a harder blow, if that makes sense). The main issues for me was she had to be sedated and put on paralytic drugs (not sure if this is the norm) because even in a sedated state she fights vents. For my LO, both times she was put on it I think it helped save her life.

DrRx

Thank you all ladies so much for your responses! It has definitely made me feel better.  I'm happy to say that she is doing MUCH better after being placed on the oscillating vent and may possibly be weaned off of it in the next couple of days back to a regular vent. 

She hasn't needed much sedation at all, only Versed about 3 times and morphine once.  No paralytics.  She doesn't seem to fight the vent, although she does still get annoyed when you wipe her eyes and change her diaper, etc.