Teaching intubation skills using newly deceased infants.

This prospective study was designed to (1) test the hypothesis that the majority of families of newly dead infants in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit would consent to their infants' being intubated for teaching purposes, (2) determine factors related to family consent, and (3) determine the effects of participation on resident physicians and respiratory therapists. Family consent for intubation was requested following 44 (80%) of the 55 deaths that occurred during the 10-month study period. Of these requests, 32 (73%) were granted. Proportionately more white than black families consented and consent was positively related to autopsy permission. Fifty-three (75%) of 71 trainees completed a mailed questionnaire after their first intubation experience. Although each respondent found the experience helpful, many reported mixed feelings categorized as doubt about participating, apprehension and discomfort, respect for the body, appreciation for the opportunity, a sense of achievement, and feelings of comfort knowing that consent had been obtained. These findings confirm our initial hypothesis and suggest that (1) newly dead infants can be a valuable resource for teaching intubation skills, and (2) others considering a similar approach need to be aware of and sensitive to trainees' feelings.

Arnold-Chiari malformation: report of a case with contamination of ventricular and subarachnoid spaces by amniotic sac contents.

An infant with the Arnold-Chiari malformation had a lumbosacral amniotic-central nervous system fistula that allowed massive amounts of squamous cells and lanugo hair to enter the ventricular and subarachnoid spaces causing blockage, gliosis, and fibrosis. This rare complication can be diagnosed by cytologic examination of cerebrospinal fluid and should be considered in the prognosis of Arnold-Chiari malformation and selection of cases for treatment.

Epidemic neonatal gentamicin-methicillin--resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection associated with nonspecific topical use of gentamicin.

One hundred sixteen infants in an intensive care nursery acquired Staphylococcus aureus resistant to gentamicin and methicillin; 54 patients acquired S. aureus sensitive to gentamicin and methicillin. Topical application of gentamicin ointment was significantly associated with acquisition of GMRS. Of 78 infants who acquired GMRS, 38 had received GmO before GMRS was first cultured, whereas only one of 49 infants with GMSS had previously received GmO (P = 8.6 X 10(-8)). Infants with GMRS were also more likely than patients with GMSS to have had a lower mean birth weight, Apgar score, and gestational age; systemic antibiotic therapy and incubator care were significantly prolonged for patients with GMRS, but these factors did not explain susceptibility to GMRS infection. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that use of GmO was the single most important risk factor.

Iatrogenic prematurity due to elective termination of the uncomplicated pregnancy: a major perinatal health care problem.

In a series of 1,000 newborn infants referred to a regional neonatal center, 32 iatrogenically preterm infants were identified. All had been delivered following elective termination of uncomplicated, apparently term pregnancies, without prior documentation of fetal lung maturity or ultrasonic determination of fetal biparietal diameter. Associated acute morbidity included asphyxia neonatorum in 10, respiratory distress syndrome in 24, and pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum in nine patients. One infant died. Hospital costs totaled $150,643, for a mean of $4,701 per patient. The unexpected premature births were associated with major parental grief reactions and alterations in their daily activities, Iatrogenic prematurity is a major regional health care problem which, when viewed on a national basis, may affect thousands of newborn infants and their families annually. Our data suggest the need for more accurate assessment of fetal maturity, before elective termination of pregnancy, by well-established techniques.

Grief response of parents to neonatal death and parent participation in deciding care.

We determined the grief response to neonatal death of 50 mother-father pairs by administering a questionnaire and conducting a semistructured interview during the infant postmortem review. As measured by a parent grief score, maternal grief significantly exceeded paternal grief (t = 5.89, P less than .0001). Parent grief was not significantly related to birth weight, duration of life, extent of parent-infant contact, previous perinatal loss, parent age, or distance from the hospital of birth to the regional center (Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients). However, the attitudes and behavior of family, friends, and health care personnel in the hospital of birth often adversely influenced parent grieving. Of 39 mother-father pairs whose infants required respirator support, 18 participated in a group decision with their physician to withdraw respirator support when the prospects of infant survival seemed hopeless (limited respirator care group). No significant differences in parent grief scores were found (t tests) when the limited respirator care group was compared to those parents of infants who died despite uninterrupted respirator care. Our data suggest that informed parents can participate as partners with their physician in difficult infant care decision, even when death results, and adjust to their loss with healthy grieving.

Early onset group B streptococcal disease: clinical, roentgenographic, and pathologic features.

Thirty-one neonates with early onset of serious group B streptococcal infections were observed in a four-year period. The mortality was 52%. Premature infants with clinical signs of respiratory distress syndrome were at highest risk of death; clinical signs of RDS were typical until apnea, shock, respiratory failure, and worsening of the radiographic pattern unexpectedly intervened. Pathologic material from infants with radiographic evidence either of RDS or of pneumonia showed both typical hyaline membrane disease and pneumonia in most instances. Factors which may be helpful in recognizing premature infants at risk for GBS disease in the much larger group of premature infants with uncomplicated RDS include: history of artificial, premature, or prolonged rupture of membranes; localized pulmonary infiltrates on chest roentgenogram; low absolute neutrophil count; and an unusually rapid progression of RDS.

Necrotizing enterocolitis with recurrent hepatic portal venous gas.

Two separate episodes of pneumatosis intestinalis and hepatic portal venous gas were observed in a premature infant with necrotizing enterocolitis. Although HPVG has previously been considered an ominous roentgenographic sign, the infant survived without surgical intervention. As in several cases reported by others, clinical and roentgenographic signs of NEC reappeared when enteric feedings were restarted prior to 10 days of medical therapy.