Objective To discuss the cause of disease and the correlation factor for neonatal respiratory failure,and evaluate the clinical effect of (pulmonary surfactant,PS) and subsidiary ventilation for the treatment of neonatal respiratory failure. Methods By retrospective analysis the clinical data of 121 neonatal with respiratory failure were received the systemic treatment of subsidiary ventilation at department of neonatology in the First People's Hospital in Zunyi from July 2010 to July 2011.49 infants who received PS treatment were set as in test group,another 72 neonates who only received subsidiary ventilation were set as control group.The ventilation duration,the total oxygen-inhale time,cure rate,mortality and the clinical outcomes were compared between two groups. Results Cure rate in the test group ( 89.8%) was obviously higher than that in the control group(69.4%);while the mortality rate was lower than that of the control group(χ²=7.16,P＜0.05);The ventilation duration and total oxygen-inhale time in test group were lower compared with control group(U=20.979 and 12.997,P＜0.01);There was no significant difference in the complications between two groups(P＞0.05). Conclusion The combined treatment of PS and subsidiary ventilation can obviously improve the cure rate but not increase the incidence of complications.