The 2023 focused update was prompted by four systematic literature reviews by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) Neonatal Life Support Task Force.
“Evidence evaluations by the ILCOR play a large role in the group’s process and timing of updates,” Henry Lee, MD, co-chair of the writing group, said in an interview.
He noted that updated recommendations do not change prior recommendations from the 2020 guidelines.
“However, they provide additional details to consider in neonatal resuscitation that could lead to changes in some practice in various settings,” said Dr. Lee, medical director of the University of California San Diego neonatal intensive care unit.
The focused update was simultaneously published online November 16 in Circulation and in Pediatrics.
Dr. Lee noted that effective positive-pressure ventilation (PPV) is the priority in newborn infants who need support after birth.
And while the 2020 update provided some details on devices to be used for PPV, the 2023 focused update gives guidance on use of T-piece resuscitators for providing PPV, which may be particularly helpful for preterm infants, and the use of supraglottic airways as a primary interface to deliver PPV, he explained.
Specifically, the updated guidelines state that use of a T-piece resuscitator to deliver PPV is preferred to the use of a self-inflating bag.
Because both T-piece resuscitators and flow-inflating bags require a compressed gas source to function, a self-inflating bag should be available as a backup in the event of compressed gas failure when using either of these devices.
Use of a supraglottic airway may be considered as the primary interface to administer PPV instead of a face mask for newborn infants delivered at 34 0/7 weeks’ gestation or later.
Continued Emphasis on Delayed Cord Clamping
The updated guidelines “continue to emphasize delayed cord clamping for both term and preterm newborn infants when clinically possible. There is also a new recommendation for nonvigorous infants born 35-42 weeks’ gestational age to consider umbilical cord milking,” Dr. Lee said in an interview.
Specifically, the guidelines state:
- For term and late preterm newborn infants ≥34 weeks’ gestation, and preterm newborn infants <34 weeks’ gestation, who do not require resuscitation, delayed cord clamping (≥30 seconds) can be beneficial compared with early cord clamping (<30 seconds).
- For term and late preterm newborn infants ≥34 weeks’ gestation who do not require resuscitation, intact cord milking is not known to be beneficial compared with delayed cord clamping (≥30 seconds).
- For preterm newborn infants between 28- and 34-weeks’ gestation who do not require resuscitation and in whom delayed cord clamping cannot be performed, intact cord milking may be reasonable.
- For preterm newborn infants <28 weeks’ gestation, intact cord milking is not recommended.
- For nonvigorous term and late preterm infants (35-42 weeks’ gestation), intact cord milking may be reasonable compared with early cord clamping (<30 seconds).
The guidelines also highlight the following knowledge gaps that require further research:
- Optimal management of the umbilical cord in term, late preterm, and preterm infants who require resuscitation at delivery
- Longer-term outcome data, such as anemia during infancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes, for all umbilical cord management strategies
- Cost-effectiveness of a T-piece resuscitator compared with a self-inflating bag
- The effect of a self-inflating bag with a positive end-expiratory pressure valve on outcomes in preterm newborn infants
- Comparison of either a T-piece resuscitator or a self-inflating bag with a flow-inflating bag for administering PPV
- Comparison of clinical outcomes by gestational age for any PPV device
- Comparison of supraglottic airway devices and face masks as the primary interface for PPV in high-resourced settings
- The amount and type of training required for successful supraglottic airway insertion and the potential for skill decay
- The utility of supraglottic airway devices for suctioning secretions from the airway
- The efficacy of a supraglottic airway during advanced neonatal resuscitation requiring chest compressions or the delivery of intratracheal medications
This research had no commercial funding. The authors report no relevant financial relationships.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.