Neonatal Transport Clinician Performed Ultrasound Evaluation of Cardiac Function.

BACKGROUND: Limited point-of-care ultrasound skills for ultrasound-naïve neonatal transport clinicians could enhance clinical evaluation and decision making. Teaching Respiratory Therapists and Nurses to assess cardiac filling and contractility may be feasible. METHODS: Prospective educational study using educational materials, didactic theoretical, and hands-on practical sessions, followed by assessment of practical and theoretical skills. RESULTS: A total of 18 participants completed the study meeting the predefined standard, proving feasibility. Nine (50%) participants had ≤ 10 years of NICU experience. The mean time required for complete training was 8.6 ±â€¯2.1 hours. Time was spent on average on 269 ±â€¯104 minutes for hands-on practice, 171 ±â€¯96 minutes on didactic training, and 76 ±â€¯16 minutes on testing sessions. The median number of hands-on sessions per participant was 5 [Interquartile range (IQR) 5, 7]. The median number of infants required to complete training was 9 infants (IQR 7, 11). RRTs required less time than RNs. Evaluations and feedback from participants on the training program was positive. CONCLUSION: Neonatal RNs and RTs can be trained to perform focused cardiac ultrasound examinations with average time of 8.6 hours. This skill could enhance clinical care on neonatal transport with appropriate interventions to manage suspected hypotension or shock.

Comparison of Presentation, Course, and Outcome of Congenital and Acquired Cytomegalovirus Infection in Twins.

Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most common causes of serious viral intrauterine infections. It is universally distributed among the human population with an average incidence of 0.15 to 2%. Indeed, at least half of the women in the reproductive age have evidence of prior CMV infection. Epidemiology and Pathogenicity However, it is not a usual practice to screen asymptomatic pregnant woman or neonates for CMV. Even if a mother developed a primary CMV infection during pregnancy, up to 90% of the newborns with congenital CMV will be asymptomatic at the time of birth. Only 5 to 7% of the infected babies will be acutely symptomatic, and the typical clinical presentation includes intrauterine growth restriction, microcephaly, various cutaneous manifestations (including petechiae and purpura), hematological abnormalities (particularly resistant thrombocytopenia), hepatosplenomegaly, chorioretinitis, hepatitis, etc. In contrast, acquired CMV infection is extremely unlikely to cause any serious sequelae for the infant. Cases We present a case of congenital and acquired CMV infection in twins with a focus of dissimilarity in presentation, clinical course, and outcome.

Neonatal hypercalcemia secondary to subcutaneous fat necrosis successfully treated with pamidronate: a case series and literature review.

Subcutaneous fat necrosis (SCFN) is a noninfectious panniculitis that occurs in term infants who experience significant distress in the 1st weeks of life, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Since the introduction of therapeutic hypothermia for HIE, there have been a few published case reports of SCFN, following this modality of treatment. Although, most cases of SCFN resolve spontaneously, SCFN may be associated with hypercalcemia, which may sometimes reach dangerous levels. Approaches used for the management of this potentially life-threatening condition, include hyperhydration, calciuric diuretics, corticosteroids, and in more resistant cases pamidronate, a bisphosphonate. We report our experience on the use of pamidronate in two cases of severe hypercalcemia associated with SCFN following therapeutic hypothermia for HIE. We believe that with increasing use of therapeutic hypothermia for HIE, clinicians are likely to encounter this condition more frequently.