Broncho-Pulmonary Dysplasia and Mechanical Ventilation

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a disease particular to premature infants. It is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and its spectrum of causes and consequences has changed over the last several years. Originally described in 1967, the disease was then a disease of neonates who were less premature but more exposed to adverse ventilation and hyperoxia. Over the past 3-4 decades a variety of therapies have come into use which have changed the nature of lung injury initiated by postnatal exposure and have also enhanced survival of extremely low birthweight infants, thus the changing profile of bronchopulmonary dysplasia almost certainly reflects children now who are extremely premature who would not have survived previously but on the other hand are receiving greater levels of efficacious care and lesser levels of injurious care.