UnityPoint Health – Finley Hospital’s Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is now offering a new, minimally invasive technique to help premature infants with respiratory distress breathe easier. The SALSA maneuver allows providers to deliver life-saving surfactant to a baby’s lungs without the need for full endotracheal intubation, reducing the risks associated with more invasive airway procedures.

The SALSA maneuver, which stands for Surfactant Administration via Laryngeal or Supraglottic Airways, improves outcomes for eligible premature infants experiencing Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS).

Respiratory Distress Syndrome occurs when premature babies do not produce enough surfactant, a substance that helps keep the tiny air sacs in the lungs open. Without enough surfactant, breathing becomes difficult and babies often require respiratory support soon after birth.

“Surfactant is one of the most important treatments we can provide premature babies with respiratory distress,” said Jeff Baker, Director of Critical Care at UnityPoint Health – Finley Hospital. “The SALSA technique allows us to deliver that treatment quickly while avoiding more invasive procedures whenever possible. That means less stress on a baby’s lungs and the potential for better outcomes.”

Rather than placing a breathing tube into the infant’s airway, the SALSA technique uses a small supraglottic airway device to deliver surfactant directly into the lungs while the baby continues receiving non-invasive respiratory support, such as CPAP. The procedure takes only a few minutes and helps avoid many of the complications associated with traditional intubation.

By minimizing airway manipulation, the SALSA maneuver may reduce the need for mechanical ventilation, lower the risk of lung injury, and decrease the likelihood of developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a chronic lung condition that can affect premature infants.

The procedure is intended for carefully selected premature infants who develop Respiratory Distress Syndrome within the first two days after birth and continue to require increasing oxygen support despite non-invasive breathing assistance.

The addition of the SALSA maneuver reflects Finley Hospital’s ongoing commitment to providing advanced, evidence-based care close to home for the region’s smallest and most vulnerable patients. By offering this innovative approach in the NICU, families can access leading-edge neonatal care without leaving the Dubuque area.