ILCOR's new resuscitation guidelines in preterm and term infants:: Critical discussion and suggestions for implementation

Recommendations of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) become updated every five years with changing evidence resulting in revised recommendations for clinical practice. New data exist concerning the adequate oxygen concentration to be used in the delivery room, the management of imminent meconium aspiration, ventilation strategies and the role of body temperature during and after resuscitation of preterm and term newborn infants. Only in some cases new evidence has led to clear-cut recommendations for or against specific interventions. Therefore the present publication cites the original ILCOR-recommendations and discusses these with regard to their practical implementation. The authors of the present work suggest to commence resuscitation independendly of gestational age with room air and adjust the inspiratory oxygen concentration thereafter on clinical grounds. The authors also advocate the retention of the presently performed intranatal suction procedure in cases of meconium-stained amniotic fluid and the use of therapeutic hypothermia following perinatal asphyxia in term newborns according to the protocol of one of the published randomized, controlled trials. Standard equipment for neonatal resuscitation should include pressure gauge for monitoring of inspiratory pressures, oxygen blender, and pulse oxymeter. The predominant majority of ILCOR-recommendations have only been cited and have been commented with respect to their practical implementation within the clinical context.