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Unilateral atelectasis in a preterm infant monitored with electrical impedance tomography: a case report

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Abstract

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive, radiation-free tool to monitor regional changes in ventilation. This report describes, for the first time, that unilateral atelectasis in an extremely low birth weight infant results in a loss of regional ventilation measured by EIT in the affected lung.

Conclusion: EIT is currently the most promising technique to monitor regional lung aeration continuously at the bedside in this vulnerable population.

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Abbreviations

CXR:

Chest X-ray

EIT:

Electrical impedance tomography

fEIT:

Functional electrical impedance tomography

nCPAP:

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure

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Ethical statement

This study has been approved by the institutional review board and has therefore been performed in accordance with the ethical standards as described in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments. Both parents of both infants have given their informed consent prior to inclusion in the study.

Financial disclosure

None of the authors have financial relationships to disclose.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, Emma Children’s Hospital AMC, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    P. S. van der Burg, M. Miedema, F. H. de Jongh & A. H. van Kaam

Authors
  1. P. S. van der Burg
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  2. M. Miedema
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  3. F. H. de Jongh
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  4. A. H. van Kaam
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. S. van der Burg.

Additional information

Communicated by Patrick Van Reempts

This work was financially supported by Chiesi Pharmaceutical.

The EIT device was kindly provided by CareFusion.

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van der Burg, P.S., Miedema, M., de Jongh, F.H. et al. Unilateral atelectasis in a preterm infant monitored with electrical impedance tomography: a case report. Eur J Pediatr 173, 1715–1717 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2399-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2399-y

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