Objectives Early rescue surfactant therapy using less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) can reduce the need for mechanical ventilation and avoid complications in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome. The purpose of this study was to estimate the budget impact of LISA compared with management based on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) alone and rescue surfactant therapy in case of CPAP failure.

Methods A budget impact model was built comparing LISA with CPAP alone in order to estimate the potential resource consumption and budget impact from the perspective of the National Health Service in England. A literature review was conducted to populate the model. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to characterise the existing uncertainty and to explore the contribution of individual model parameters to the overall budget impact.

Results Early rescue with LISA is expected to reduce resource consumption and costs compared with conservative therapy based on CPAP alone for preterm infants born at 25–32 weeks gestation. Savings are higher for preterm infants of 25–28 weeks (expected budget impact −£5146 per case, 95% credible interval (CrI) −£22 403 to £13, probability of being cost saving 97.4%) than for preterm infants of 29–32 weeks (−£176, 95% CrI −£4279 to £339, probability of being cost saving 85%). The impact of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and intraventricular haemorrhage on resource consumption and the expected reduction in the incidence of BPD with LISA are the most influential parameters on the budget.

Conclusions Early rescue with LISA used in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome and fraction of inspired oxygen ≥0.3 is expected to be cost saving compared with management based on CPAP alone, particularly in those born at 25–28 weeks gestation.