You are called to assist with a full-term neonate who was tr…
You are called to assist with a full-term neonate who was transferred to your facility for further evaluation. The patient is the son of a diabetic mother who tested positive for group B streptococcus infection. He is 4 kg, has received one dose of surfactant, and has extremely low lung volumes on AP chest radiograph. The transport team has the infant on continuous mandatory ventilation (CMV), pressure control rate of 60, peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) of 32, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 8, and fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO 2) of 1.0. These ventilator settings are producing a peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SPO 2) of 85%, with admission blood gas values of 7.15/65/66/23. What mode of ventilation would you suggest for this patient and why?