Non-invasive home ventilation using the average volume assured pressure support feature in an infant with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia and chronic respiratory failure

Introduction::While majority of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) can be discharged home without low flow oxygen or on supplemental low flow oxygen, some require long term home mechanical ventilation.Case presentation::We present a case of an extremely premature infant with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia who was successfully managed at home on a new feature of non-invasive ventilation called average volume assured pressure support (AVAPS) without the need for tracheostomy. The AVAPS feature enables the machine to deliver a consistent tidal volume by automatically adjusting the inspiratory pressure within a set range.Conclusion::The use of AVAPS feature in our case improved ventilation as indicated by a more stable gas exchange profile, making home non-invasive ventilation a more practicable method of managing severe BPD in this infant.