Neonatal network : NN
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Neonatal network : NN · Jan 2012
ReviewPain management, morphine administration, and outcomes in preterm infants: a review of the literature.
Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit may experience a myriad of painful procedures and stressful experiences. Pain management for infants requiring mechanical ventilation is complex and challenging especially in the preterm population. ⋯ The Advance Practice Neonatal Nurse must make the best use of available information about morphine analgesia for the preterm infant, and use it to guide policy and practice for infants. The Advance Practice Neonatal Nurse must use his/her clinical expertise to judicially balance the risks and benefits of morphine analgesia, when used, and tailor the treatment plan to each infant's specific needs.
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Neonatal network : NN · Nov 2011
ReviewCongenital central hypoventilation syndrome and the PHOX2B gene mutation.
Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is a rare syndrome of dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system characterized by a decreased response to hypercarbia. It is a disorder in which affected individuals fail to breathe during sleep despite progressive hypercapnia and hypoxia. Infants simply fall asleep and quit breathing. ⋯ It has been linked with tumors of neural crest origin, segmental aganglionosis of the colon, and diffuse autonomic dysregulation but can occur alone. Discovery of the genetic link between the paired-like homeobox 2B (PHOX2B) genetic mutations and CCHS represents a breakthrough in the diagnosis of CCHS, association of mutated alleles with disease severity, and clues to the pathophysiology responsible for the disorder. Early genetic screening and intervention can provide the families of these infants with hope for achieving a normal life.
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Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a ventricular preexcitation that presents as supraventricular tachycardia. Health care professionals can attain optimal results in caring for infants with WPW syndrome by understanding both its pathophysiology and proper management to prevent and treat complications associated with it. This article reviews the prevalence, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnostic modalities, assessment, and management of WPW syndrome.