Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a serious chronic lung condition that commonly develops in premature infants or babies with respiratory illnesses who require ventilator treatment. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia can cause shallow, rapid breathing and other developmental and systemic problems, according to MedlinePlus. Treatment typically involves intensive supportive care in the hospital, followed by continued oxygen and nutritional therapy at home.
Breathing Support
Infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia typically require help with breathing. According to KidsHealth.org, doctors often place the baby on a mechanical ventilator--a machine that delivers oxygen to the lungs and removes carbon dioxide from the body. The machine is connected to an endotracheal tube placed through the baby's nose or mouth and down the trachea, or windpipe. Though mechanical ventilation does not cure the condition, it manages the baby's breathing until the lungs are strong enough to supply the brain and other vital organs with oxygen on their own. Some neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) may use a continuous low-pressure jet ventilator--a specialized machine that reduces the risk of lung damage--in lieu of a traditional mechanical ventilator. To reduce the risk of damage to the trachea caused by the endotracheal tube, surgeons may give babies in need of long-term ventilator support a tracheostomy--a procedure used to make a hole in the neck into which doctors directly insert the tubing from the ventilator. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, doctors may also place sensors on the infant's toes and fingertips to closely monitor levels of oxygen in the blood. Heart rate, blood pressure, breathing quality and body temperature may also be frequently checked. Once the baby's health has improved enough to go off of the ventilator, he may still require at-home delivery of oxygen through a mask placed over the face for a few weeks or months after discharge from the hospital, according to MedlinePlus.
Nutritional and Fluid Treatment
Because babies with bronchopulmonary dysplasia are at risk of developing edema, or swelling, in the extremities and abdomen, and accumulating fluid in the lungs, doctors must closely monitor and work to balance fluid levels. To prevent buildup of excess fluid in the body, doctors may restrict the infant's daily liquid intake to no more than 140 mL/kg per day, according to Merck.com.
Intensive care personnel often deliver nutritional support through a tube in the infant's stomach, according to MedlinePlus. Because the baby's heart and lungs are working hard, doctors may increase the infant's caloric intake to facilitate growth and healing. Once the infant has improved enough to leave the hospital, he may need to continue with tube feedings or eat special formula until he becomes stronger.
Medication
To open up the breathing airways, doctors may treat infants suffering from bronchopulmonary dysplasia with bronchodilators such as albuterol, according to KidsHealth.org. Babies that are severely ill may require treatment with corticosteroids to reduce inflammation in the lung tissues; however, because these drugs can cause serious side effects, they are usually only used as a last resort. Doctors may also administer a diuretic such as chlorothiazide to flush excess fluid from the infant's body and reduce swelling and lung congestion, according to Merck.com.
Infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia are also at increased risk of developing pneumonia--an inflammatory lung condition often caused by bacteria. Because pneumonia can worsen the baby's breathing, doctors may need to treat the infant with antibiotics in an effort to clear up the underlying infection.
