PBL 37 Flashcards
Short term consequences of premature delivery
- Breathing problems - lack surfactant - RDS
- Heart problems - PDA and hypotension
- Brain problems
- Temperature control problems
- GI problems - immature GI system
- Blood problems - anaemia and jaundice
- Metabolism problems - hypoglycaemia
- Immune system problems
What is PDA and what can this lead to?
Persistent opening between the pulmonary artery and the descending aorta. This should close on its own but, if untreated, it can lead to too much blood flow through the heart and cause heart failure
Explain the reason infant jaundice can occur in premature babies
The liver may not be fully developed so the blood contains excess bilirubin
Long term complications of premature delivery
- Cerebral palsy - disorder of movement, tone or posture which can be caused by infection or inadequate blood flow or injury to a premature baby’s developing brain
- Impaired cognitive skills
- Vision problems -
- Hearing problems
- Dental problems
- Behavioural and psychological problems
- Chronic health issues - infections, asthma, SIDS
What is the cause of RDS?
A lung disorder in premature new-borns in which the air sacs in the lungs do not remain open because there is insufficient surfactant presence
What is the role of surfactant?
Coats the surface of air sacs, where it LOWERS surface tension, and it is this low surface tension that allows air sacs to remain open throughout the respiratory cycle
When does the foetus begin producing surfactant and by which time is there enough to allow the air sacs to remain open?
24wks
34/45wks
Risk factors for RDS
- Premature birth
- Mother who had diabetes whilst pregnant
- White male
- Mutation in certain genes that cause a deficiency of surfactant
Signs and symptoms of RDS
- Visibly laboured breathing
- Retractions (pulling in of chest muscles attached to the ribs and below the ribs during rapid breathing)
- Flaring of the nostrils during breathing in
- Grunting whilst breathing out
- Cyanosis (due to low O2 levels in blood)
How can we check to see if there is enough surfactant pre-birth?
Amniocentesis
- Measure the level of surfactant in amniotic fluid, this fluid is collected from the sac surrounding the foetus during a procedure called amniocentesis
When premature birth cannot be avoided, the mother is given injections of…
Corticosteroids - BETAMETHASONE
Treatment for RDS
- Synthetic surfactant therapy
2. Oxygen and measures to support breathing - CPAP
Bilirubin is a yellow substance formed when…
haemoglobin is broken down
Bilirubin is carried in the bloodstream to the … and processed so that it can be excreted out the … as part of …
Liver
Liver
Bile
Bilirubin is processed in the liver by a process called….
Conjugation
Where is bile made?
The liver
Explain how jaundice occurs
Bile is transported through the bile ducts to the small intestines (duodenum).
If bilirubin cannot be processed and excreted by the liver and bile ducts quickly enough, it builds up in the blood = hyperbilirubinaemia
The excess bilirubin settles in the skin, the whites of the eyes and other tissues, causing them to turn yellow
The most serious consequence of unconjugated bilirubin levels is…
Kernicterus
What is kernicterus?
Brain damage due to accumulation of bilirubin in the brain. It can lead to significant brain injury, resulting in developmental delay, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, seizures and even death
How can kernicterus be prevented?
Early diagnosis and treatment of hyperbilirubinaemia
Treatment of jaundice?
Phototherapy
Fluids
Causes of jaundice in new-borns?
- Physiologic jaundice (MOST COMMON)
- Breastfeeding
- Excessive breakdown of RBCs
What is physiologic jaundice?
RBCs in new-borns break down faster resulting in increased bilirubin production. Also, the new-born’s liver is immature and cannot process bilirubin / excrete it
How can breastfeeding cause jaundice?
- BREAST FEEDING JAUNDICE: New-borns who do not consume enough breast milk in the first few days, but it resolves in the first week
- BREAST MILK JAUNDICE: Occurs towards the end of the first week of life and may resolve by 2 weeks of age. It is caused by substances in breast milk that interfere with the liver getting rid of bilirubin from the body
How can haemolysis cause jaundice?
Haemolysis can overwhelm the new-born’s liver with more bilirubin than it can process.