Review

Surfactant and Use of Exogenous Surfactant in Neonatal RDS

  • Nilgün KÜLTÜRSAY
  • Nermin TANSUG

Meandros Med Dent J 2000;1(2):47-52

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and its complications are major causes of mortality and morbidity among newborns. One-fourth of newborn deaths is due to RDS in well developed countries. Besides developments in supportive treatment and use of assisted mechanical ventilation, application of surfactant replacement treatment has significantly recently decreased RDS related mortality. Fujiwara and colleagues pioneered surfactant treatment in 1980 and numerous clinical trials has been performed since then. However dose of surfactant, number of doses, dose intervals, type of surfactant, and techniques of administration has still been under investigation.

Keywords: surfactant, respiratory distress syndrome