Birth injury

Birth injury

Birth injury is defined physical (mechanical) trauma of tissues and organs that is associated with birth (internal or external injury). Treatment is required for birth injury itself, as well as for the associated complications (perinatal asphyxia, hemorrhage and resultant anemia, hyperbilirubinemia, paresis, fractures). Risk Factors for Birth Injury Prematurity Instrumental birth (forceps,…

Perinatal asphyxia

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…

Seizures

Seizures

There is a number of different types of seizure activity in newborns. Seizure types subtle seizures (grimace, blinking, yawning, salivation, cycling, apnea) myoclonus clonic seizures (unifocal, multifocal) tonic seizures (generalized hypertonia, decerebration-like posture, growling, apnea, bulbar deviation) Etiology congenital CNS malformations hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) intracranial hemorrhage (intraventricular, subdural hemorrhage) meningitis, encephalitis medication hypoglycemia,…