J Korean Med Sci.  2019 Jul;34(25):e175. 10.3346/jkms.2019.34.e175.

History of Pulmonary Surfactant Replacement Therapy for Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Korea

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea.
  • 2Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. pedc@hanmail.net

Abstract

Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a disease that is unique to newborn infants. It is caused by a deficiency of pulmonary surfactant (PS), which is usually ready to be activated around the perinatal period. Until RDS was more clearly understood, it was not known why premature infants died from respiratory failure, although pathology revealed hyaline membranes in the alveoli. Surprisingly, the era of PS replacement therapy began only relatively recently. The first clinical trial investigating neonatal RDS was conducted in 1980. Since then, newborn survival has improved dramatically, which has led to significant advances in the field of neonatology. The present comprehensive review addresses PS, from its discovery to the application of artificial PS in newborns with RDS. It also reviews the history of PS in Korea, including its introduction, various commercial products, present and past research, newborn registries, and health insurance issues. Finally, it describes the inception of the Korean Society of Neonatology and future directions of research and treatment.

Keyword

Pulmonary Surfactants; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn; Infant, Premature; History of Medicine; Korea

MeSH Terms

History of Medicine
Humans
Hyalin
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Insurance, Health
Korea*
Membranes
Neonatology
Pathology
Pulmonary Surfactants*
Registries
Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn*
Respiratory Insufficiency
Pulmonary Surfactants
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