Surfactant treatment of an infant with acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe the successful use of surfactant for treatment of respiratory distress refractory to conventional mechanical ventilation in a 4-wk-old with pulmonary hemorrhage. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Tertiary care center pediatric intensive care unit. PATIENT: Four-week-old infant. MAIN RESULT: Clinical improvement of respiratory distress as evidenced by 50% reduction in oxygenation index and subsequent extubation. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary hemorrhage is a rare but potentially fatal condition in children. Previously described therapeutic approaches include high-frequency oscillation ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Infants with pulmonary hemorrhage and respiratory distress may benefit from a trial of surfactant before escalating care.