The usage of hydrocolloid dressings for the prevention and treatment of damage to the soft tissues of the face and nose in premature newborns due to noninvasive respiratory therapy: non-randomized historical controlled study

Background. The tissues of premature newborns are highly sensitive to injury, including facial tissues damaged by noninvasive respiratory therapy using CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) and LFNC (low flow nasal cannula), the frequency of which in children weighing less than 1000 g reaches 90%. These injuries reduce the quality of life and require the development of effective prevention and treatment methods.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of usage of the hydrocolloid dressings (patches) for the prevention and treatment of soft tissue injuries of the face and nose in premature newborns due to noninvasive respiratory therapy.

Methods. The prospective single-center historical controlled study. The study included children aged 220–296 weeks who received CPAP or LFNC therapy. The study group («I») (n = 56) included children who were hospitalized and discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit in the period of 7 months 2023 using 0.5 × 3 cm patches for the prevention and treatment of nasal injuries. The control group («K») (n = 79) included children who were treated in 2022 without using patches.

Results. The usage of patches made it possible to reduce the frequency of nasal injuries due to noninvasive respiratory therapy: out of 79 children in the «K» group, 47 (59.5%) had injuries, and in the «I» group, 18 (32.1%) out of 56 children had injuries (p = 0.002). In group «K», 38 (80.9%) of 47 cases of nasal injuries occurred during the first three days of noninvasive respiratory therapy. In the «I» group, damage caused by preventive patch application occurred in 3 (16.7%) of 18 cases during the same period and was limited to stage 1 severity (p < 0.001). The remaining 15 cases of damage occurred at the postconceptual age of 300–316 weeks in the absence of preventive patch application. In these cases, the therapeutic use of patches was used.

Conclusion. Injuries to the soft tissues of the face and nose are a common problem when using non-invasive respiratory therapy in newborns, however, the usage of the developed patches can significantly reduce their frequency, thereby improving the comfort and quality of life of preterm infants.

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