More articles from Infantools
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) or chronic lung disease (CLD) is a typical disease of extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW; birth weight < 1000g) who experienced adverse lung development but were not necessarily exposed to mechanical ventilation (“new” BPD). Originally, BPD was linked to acute respiratory failure (of various origins) and prolonged mechanical…
Oxygen Therapy
We should attempt to maintain normoxemic oxygenation in order to prevent hypoxic injury (mainly in the cerebral tissue). On the other hand, oxygen should be carefully titrated to newborns, especially preterm, due to the negative effects associated with its overuse (reactive oxygen species = ROS). Hyperoxia induces the production of oxygen radicals that subsequently trigger…

Resuscitation
Perinatal asphyxia remains one of the most common indications for postnatal resuscitation. The necessary prerequisites for successful resuscitation are properly equipped rooms (delivery suite, neonatal wards with the right and functional equipment; warmed up to the temperature of 26 °C) with properly trained personnel. Ventilation (and circulation dysfunction) are indications to initiate resuscitation…

Perinatal asphyxia
Perinatal asphyxia = antepartum or intrapartum hypoxia, hypercapnia and acidosis associated with organ dysfunction (predominantly ventilation, circulation and neurologic impairment) Ventilation changes Compensatory tachypnea => primary apnea => gasping => secondary apnea Gasping causes aspiration of amniotic fluid (possibly with meconium) Continued secretion (absence of reversal) through alveolar-capillary membrane => increased amount of fluid…

Prematurity
Preterm birth is defined as any birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation (37+0). It has been estimated to account for up to 11 % of all births. Preterm birth is a substantial cause of neonatal and pediatric morbidity and mortality. Prematurity is the single most important cause of death in the…
Neonatal Respiratory Distress
Learning outcomes Introduction Successful postnatal transition depends on a rapid cascade of physiological milestones: When any part of this process falters, neonatal respiratory distress develops—clinically defined by any change to frequency and/or quality of breathing pattern (i.e. abnormal breathing rates or increased work of breathing). A normal neonatal respiratory rate…

