Delivery Room Resuscitation of Infants with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: Lessons Learned through Video Review

Abstract

Introduction: Delivery room (DR) interventions for infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) are not well described. This study sought to describe timing and order of DR interventions and identify system factors impacting CDH DR resuscitations using a human factors framework.

Methods: This was a single-center observational study of video-recorded CDH DR resuscitations documenting timing and order of interventions. The team used the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model to identify system factors impacting DR resuscitations and time to invasive ventilation.

Results: We analyzed 31 video-recorded CDH resuscitations. We observed variability in timing and order of resuscitation tasks. The "Internal Environment" and "Tasks" components of the SEIPS model were prominent factors affecting resuscitation efficiency; significant room and bed spatial constraints exist, and nurses have a significant task burden. Additionally, endotracheal tube preparation was a prominent barrier to timely invasive ventilation.

Conclusion: Video review revealed variation in event timing and order during CDH resuscitations. Standardization of the room setup, equipment, and event order and reallocation of tasks facilitate more efficient intubation and ventilation, representing targets for CDH DR improvement initiatives. This work emphasizes the utility of rigorous human factors review to identify areas for improvement during DR resuscitation.

Keywords: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia; Human factors; Video recording.