ABSTRACT
Preterm infants undergoing surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus are usually critically ill and are suffering from many concomitant diseases. The high risk of increased morbidity in transferring them from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to a distant operating room is generally recognized. For this reason we report our experience in 33 premature infants with patent ductus arteriosus who have been operated in the NICU over a six-year period. There were no operative or immediate postoperative deaths and the 30 days hospital mortality was 6%. Based upon these findings we can confirm that operative closure of PDA can be performed safely in the NICU.
Subject(s)
Ductus Arteriosus, Patent/surgery , Comorbidity , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Premature , Intensive Care Units, Neonatal , Ligation/methods , Retrospective Studies , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Portal vein gas embolism was demonstrated by ultrasound in a preterm infant with necrotizing enterocolitis. This sign could not be detected radiographically. It is speculated that portal venous gas occurs more frequently than hitherto inferred from radiological studies. This observation points to the value of ultrasonography in providing early objective evidence in support of the diagnosis of NEC. The favourable outcome for the patient proves that portal venous gas embolism is not necessarily associated with a fulminant course of enterocolitis.
Subject(s)
Embolism, Air/diagnosis , Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous/diagnosis , Portal Vein/pathology , Ultrasonography , Embolism, Air/etiology , Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous/complications , Humans , Infant, Newborn , MaleABSTRACT
A mentally retarded boy with short stature, craniofacial dysmorphia, clubfeet, hypertonia and several other congenital anomalies is described. Chromosome analysis revealed a trisomy 10p, due to a peculiar t(10 ; 14) (p11 ; p12) translocation.
