Dexmedetomidine for Less Invasive Surfactant Administration: A Pilot Study

Less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) involves delivering surfactant to a spontaneously breathing infant by passing a thin catheter through the vocal cords and has become the preferred method for surfactant delivery. However, the role of pre-LISA sedation remains unclear.

The aim of this study was to describe the use of dexmedetomidine for LISA in preterm and early-term infants.

This retrospective study evaluated preterm and early-term infants who received intravenous dexmedetomidine for LISA between December 2022 and March 2024. Primary outcomes included safety parameters such as the absence of bradycardia, hypotension, hypothermia, or respiratory depression, and the success rate of LISA, determined by the lack of endotracheal intubation within 72 h. Intergroup comparison based on a cutoff of 32 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA) was performed.

Thirty-seven infants were included. The mean ± SD PMA at birth, birth weight, and age at LISA were 32.2 ± 2.7 weeks, 1879 ± 698 g, and 13.9 ± 12.4 h, respectively. Mean dexmedetomidine dosage was 0.66 ± 0.26 μg/kg. Six patients (16.2%) developed mild hypothermia, and 10 (27%) experienced apnea/bradycardia within 24 h. The success rate of the procedure was 89.2%. Infants born before 32 weeks received lower doses of dexmedetomidine than those born at 32 weeks and above (0.54 ± 0.24 versus 0.76 ± 0.24 μg/kg, p < 0.01). Safety and success rates of LISA were similar across groups.

This is the first report on dexmedetomidine as pre-LISA sedation, demonstrating its feasibility with comparable success rates regardless of PMA. These findings may inform future studies on sedation strategies for LISA.