Surfactant therapy can be life-saving for newborn infants with respiratory distress due to surfactant insufficiency, also known as respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). All commercially available surfactants for clinical use are approved for administration through an endotracheal tube. Placement of an endotracheal tube, a procedure called intubation, is stressful for the infant and associated with significant adverse effects. The proposed supraglottic instillation device allows infants to benefit from surfactant therapy while avoiding the negative effects of intubation.
