High‐flow nasal cannula therapy for respiratory support in children

摘要

BackgroundRespiratory support is a central component of the management of critically ill children. It can be delivered invasively via an endotracheal tube or non‐invasively via face mask, nasal mask, nasal cannula or oxygen hood/tent. Invasive ventilation can be damaging to the lungs, and the tendency to use non‐invasive forms is growing. However, non‐invasive delivery is often poorly tolerated by children. High‐flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen delivery is a relatively new therapy that shows the potential to reduce the need for intubation and be better tolerated by children than other non‐invasive forms of support. HFNC therapy differs from other non‐invasive forms of treatment in that it delivers heated, humidified and blended air/oxygen via nasal cannula at rates > 2 L/kg/min. This allows the user to deliver high concentrations of oxygen and to potentially deliver continuous distending pressure; this treatment often is better tolerated by the child.