BACKGROUND:Continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) with nasal devices(nCPAP) is widely used in the respiratory management of newborns. The present study aimed to compare the incidence of nasal trauma secondary to nasal continuous positive airway pressure(nCPAP) protected with or without hydrocolloid dressing in preterm infants.METHODS:This prospective controlled study was performed in the neonatal intensive care unit(NICU) of the Children’s Hospital of Hunan Province from March 1,2010 to June 31,2010. A total of 65 infants,46 males and 19 females,were recruited in this study. Their average gestational age was 32.6 weeks(range 28–37 weeks). The infants were randomly divided into clinical trial group(group A,n=33) and control group(group B,n=32). Paraff in oil was smeared around the nostrils before inserting prongs in group B; the infants in group A were covered on the infant’s nostrils surface with hydrocolloid dressing(hydrocolloid dressing,1.8 mm thick,90029 T,3M Company,Minnesota,USA) with a size of 2–3 cm cutting two holes adapted to the nose and nostrils. The nostrils of those infants were inspected daily during nCPAP support until they were weaned off nCPAP.RESULTS:Nine infants(2 in group A and 7 in group B) developed nasal injury during nCPAP support. The Chi-square test revealed that there was a statistically signifi cant difference(P=0.01) in the incidence of nasal injury between groups A and B.CONCLUSION:The study demonstrated that hydrocolloid dressing signifi cantly decreased the incidence and the severity of nasal injury. BACKGROUND: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) with nasal devices (nCPAP) is widely used in the respiratory management of newborns. The present study aimed to compare the incidence of nasal trauma secondary to nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) protected with or without METHOODS dressing in preterm infants. METHODS: This prospective controlled study was performed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the Children’s Hospital of Hunan Province from March 1,2010 to June 31,2010. A total of 65 infants, 46 males and Their average gestational age was 32.6 weeks (range 28-37 weeks). The infants were randomly divided into clinical trial groups (group A, n = 33) and control group (group B, n = 32). The infants in group A were covered on the infant’s nostrils surface with hydrocolloid dressing (hydrocolloid dressing, 1.8 mm thick, 90029 T, 3M Company, Minnesota , USA) with a size of 2-3 cm cutting two holes adapted to the nose and nostrils. The nostrils of those infants were inspected daily during nCPAP support until they were weaned off nCPAP.RESULTS: Nine infants (2 in group A and 7 in group B) developed the nasal injury during nCPAP support. The Chi-square test revealed that there was a poor signifi cant difference (P = 0.01) in the incidence of nasal injury between groups A and B. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates that hydrocolloid dressing signifi cantly decreased the incidence and the severity of nasal injury.