Suction Mask vs Conventional Mask Ventilation in Term and Near-Term Infants in the Delivery Room: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the suction mask, a new facemask that uses suction to create a seal between the mask and the infant's face, with a conventional soft, round silicone mask during positive pressure ventilation (PPV) in the delivery room in newborn infants >34 weeks of gestation.

STUDY DESIGN: Single-center randomized controlled trial in the delivery room. The primary outcome was mask leak.

RESULTS: Forty-five infants were studied at a median gestational age of 38.1 weeks (IQR, 36.4-39.0 weeks); 22 were randomized to the suction mask and 23 to the conventional mask. The suction mask did not reduce mask leak (49.9%; IQR, 11.0%-92.7%) compared with the conventional mask (30.5%; IQR, 10.6%-48.8%; P = .51). The suction mask delivered lower peak inspiratory pressure (27.2 cm H2 O [IQR, 25.0-28.7 cm H2 O] vs 30.4 cm H2 O [IQR, 29.4-32.5 cm H2 O]; P < .05) and lower positive end expiratory pressure (3.7 cm H2 O [IQR, 3.1-4.5 cm H2 O] vs 5.1 cm H2 O [IQR, 4.2-5.7 cm H2 O ]; P < .05). There was no difference in the duration of PPV or rates of intubation or admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. In 5 infants (23%), the clinician switched from the suction to the conventional mask, 2 owing to intermittently low peak inspiratory pressure, 2 owing to failure to respond to PPV, and 1 owing to marked facial bruising after 6 minutes of PPV.

CONCLUSIONS: The use of the suction mask to provide PPV in newborn infants did not reduce facemask leak. Adverse effects such as the inability to achieve the set pressures and transient skin discoloration are concerning.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN12616000768493.