The neonate with meconium-stained amniotic fluid: plea for a selective tracheal suction.

For many years early systematic intubation and tracheal suction have been a dvocated for meconium-stained infants. Recent data show that they do not re duce the frequency of pulmonary meconium aspiration and underline the impor tance of a preventive attitude (ie., intrapartum oropharyngeal suction befo re shoulder clearing and thoracic compression before first breathing) toget her with a selective Tracheal suction only in the newborns with obvious oro pharyngeal meconial staining. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.