14- Neonatology Flashcards
Neonate definitions
– Term (> 37 weeks)
– Late preterm (34 – 36 weeks)
– Moderate preterm (32 – 34 weeks)
– Very preterm (28 – 32 weeks)
– Extremely preterm (< 28 weeks)
– Post term (> 42 weeks)
Birth weight classification
- Low birth weight (< 2.5kg)
- Very low birth weight (< 1.5kg)
- Extremely low birth weight (< 1kg)
Problems of term babies
1) Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy
2) Respiratory distress
- Meconium aspiration syndrome
- Congenital pneumonia
- Persistent pulmonary hypertension
3) Sepsis
- Group B strep
- E.coli
4) Congenital abnormalities
- Gastroschisis
- Congenital heart problems
NIPE must be carried out within
72 hours
- screens for congenital abnormalities
- reassures parents
- to make referrals for further tests
NIPE procedure
- Weigh
- general inspection
- head
- skin
- face
- eyes
- ears
- mouth and palate
- neck and clavicles
- upper limbs
- chest
- abdomen
- genitalia
- lower limbs
- hips
- back and spine
- anus
- reflexes
reflexes
o Palmar grasp reflex
o Sucking reflex
o Rooting reflex
o Stepping reflex
o Moro reflex- drop
history taking format for neonates
PC
HPC
PMH
- birth history
- pregnancy
- maternal health
- resus history
Dx
FH
SH
Systemic review
presenting complaints in neonates
- Prematurity <37 weeks
- Respiratory distress e.g. grunting
- Jaundice
- Cyanosis
- Poor feeding
- Weight loss
- Known congenital anomaly
- Fractures/ skull swelling
- Concerns about sepsis
HPC
- Duration
- Progression
- Associated symptoms
- Aggravating and relieving factors
Birth history
- Gestation
- Method of delivery
- Complications at birth
- Birth trauma
- Delivery details: spontaneous, induced,
instrumental, c-section - Resuscitation at birth
pregnancy history
- Any notable history
- Attended the scans
- Vaccinations- whooping cough, influenza
- Screening
o Infections (TORCH, HIV)
o Genetics - Smoking, alcohol and drugs
- Any new diagnoses during pregnancy
o Diabetes
o Polyhydramnios/ oligo - Any DV
- Any extra appointments or scan
- Where sat on the growth chart
- Fetal movements
- Consanguineous parents
- Anomaly scans
- Antenatal steroids
- Magnesium sulphate
- Previous pregnancies and problems
- Multiple or singleton
- Maternal health
maternal history
o Medications
o Alcohol and drug use
o Maternal smoking
o Conditions e.g. lupus
family history
- Siblings
- Any inheritable disease e.g. CF
- Congenital heart disease
- Age pf parents
- Consanguinity
social history
- Child protection risks
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Learning difficulties
- Mental illness
Systems review (neonatal course)
- Ventilation
o Number of days
o Modality
o FiO2
o Max pressure - CVS- inotropes, PDA, CHD
- Fluids/ feeds- days to full feeds, electrolyte disturbances, jaundice
- Sepsis – source, Abx, cultures
- Neurological- IVH, HIE, neuromuscular issue
Resuscitation history
- Condition immediately after birth: colour, tone, HR, respiratory status
- When 1st gaps
- When 1st HR >100
- Interventions with timing
o Mask ventilation
o Chest compressions
o Surfactant
o Intubation
o UVS
o Drugs (bicarbonate, adrenaline)
o Special interventions e,g. chest drain - Apgar score
o HR
o respiratory effort
o muscle tone
o reflex irritability
o colour
Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy background
Occurs in neonates as a result of hypoxia during birth
Pathophysiology HIE
- Hypoxia is a lack of oxygen, ischaemia refers to a restriction in blood flow to the brain and encephalopathy refers to malfunctioning of the brain.
- Some hypoxia is normal during birth, however prolonged or severe hypoxia leads to ischaemic brain damage.
- HIE can lead to permanent damage to the brain, causing cerebral palsy.
- Severe HIE can result in death.
causes of HIE
- Maternal shock
- Intrapartum haemorrhage
- Prolapsed cord, causing compression of the cord during birth
- Nuchal cord, where the cord is wrapped around the neck of the baby
- Macrosomina – baby gets stuck
long term effects of HIE
Long term effects
- Developmental delay
- Cerebral palsy
- Epilepsy
- Severe hearing impairment
Presentation of HIE
Suspected HIE in neonates when there are events that could lead to hypoxia during the perinatal or intrapartum period
- acidosis (pH < 7) on the umbilical artery
- blood gas
- poor Apgar scores
- features of mild, moderate or severe HIE (see below) or evidence of multi organ failure.
Management of HIE
- Specialist
- Supportive care with
o neonatal resuscitation and ongoing optimal ventilation
o circulatory support
o nutrition
o acid base balance
o treatment of seizures - Therapeutic hypothermia-> can help protect the brain from hypoxic injury
- follow up with paediatrician and MDT to ass development and lasting disability
therapeutic hypothermia
Aim: reduce inflammation and neurone loss after the acute hypoxic injury.
Protocol
- Involves cooling core temp of baby
- Baby transferred to neonatal ICU and actively cooled using cooling blankets and cooling hats
- Target between 33-34 degree measured using a rectal probe
- Continued for 72 hours, after which baby is gradually warmed to normal temperature over 6 hours
Reduces risk of:
- Cerebral palsy
- Developmental delay
- Learning disability
- Blindness
- Death
Necrotising enterocolitis background
- Most common neonatal surgical emergency
- Characterised by variable injury to the intestine, ranging from mucosal damage to necrosis and perforation
- Mortality rate associated with NEC is between 20-30%
Pathophysiology of necrotising enterocolitis
- Not quite understood
- Likely to be due to an innate immune response to the microbiota of the premature infants gut causing inflammation and injury
risk factors for NEC
Risk factors
- Very low birth weight
- Formula feeding
- Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR)
- Polycythaemia
- Hypoxia
- Preterm infants
Protective factors for NEC
- Breastfed infants (reduces 6 fold)
presentation of nec
Presentation
- Feeding intolerance
- Vomiting (may be bile or blood-stained)
- Abdominal distention
- Haematochezia
- Abdominal tenderness
- Oedema
- Erythema
- Palpable bile
- Systemic features
o Apnoea
o Lethargy
o Bradycardia
o Decreased peripheral perfusion
scoring system for NEC
complications of NEC
Complications
- Intestinal perforation
- Sepsis
- Death
- Complication: intestinal stricture and short-bowel syndrome, neurodevelopment disorders
investigations for NEC
Bloods: FBC, UEs, blood gas, blood culture
- Full blood count- anaemia, thrombocytopenia and leukocytosis/leukopenia are often present.
- U & Es- hyponatraemia
- Blood gas- metabolic acidosis
- Blood culture- to rule out sepsis
X-ray
- distended bowel loops
- thcikened bwoel wall
- intramural gas
- gas in portal tract
- pneumoperitoneum
management of NEC: prophylaxis
o Antenatal steroids if premature delivery is anticipated
o Breastfeeding
o Probiotics