Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) was first defined by William Northway and colleagues Stanford University in 1967, and since then, we’ve been at the forefront of efforts to better understand and treat the disease. The mortality rate for premature infants has progressively decreased, coincident with improvements in prenatal, perinatal and neonatal care. However, the incidence of BPD remains high in context of the improved survival of extremely preterm infants, and the resultant changing phenotype of the disease. In addition, there is a growing understanding of the role of pulmonary vasculature disease in BPD, with recent recommendations supporting increased screening for pulmonary hypertension in infants with BPD.

From a clinical standpoint, our multidisciplinary care team helps manage BPD from every angle. Working closely with neonatologists, cardiologists, respiratory therapists, registered dieticians, social workers and care coordinators we ensure seamless transition of care for patients from the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or other NICUs throughout the Bay Area to our outpatient BPD clinic. For patients who have both BPD and who are at-risk for, or have a known diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension, we have developed the multidisciplinary Cardiac and Respiratory care for Infants with BPD (CRIB) Program. From a research perspective, our Center for Excellence in Pulmonary Biology is conducting cutting-edge research into the biology of BPD and how it develops, with the goal of uncovering new treatment options.