also contirmed that current Rossi et al ntion of combined DeLee and tracheal suctioning is insuffi cient to eliminate meconium from below the vocal cords. They reported a 87% rate of meconium below e vocal cords after "early" oronasopharyngeal DeLee suctioning was performed according to the method de- infants with scribed by Carson et al. Among their 16 meconium aspiration syndrome, four died as a result of severe meconium aspiration syndrome and persis- tent pulmonary hypertension in spite of "ear y" DeLee and tracheal suctioning. The reason for the failure to prevent meconium aspiration syndrome with orona- geal DeLee suctioning may be found in animal research with kittens. Pfennin et a ger using orona sopharyngeal suctioning, were able to retrieve only 56% of the aspirated material.