Advances in neonatal care : official journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses
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Review
State of the science: hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and hypothermic intervention for neonates.
Perinatal asphyxia and resulting hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) occur in 1 to 3 per 1000 births in the United States. Induced hypothermia as an intervention for asphyxiated infants offers promising results in reducing neurodevelopmental disabilities in surviving infants. ⋯ Standardization of hypothermia protocols within neonatal intensive care units is essential for providing hypothermia as a treatment of HIE in infants. This article explores the pathophysiology of HIE, identifying infants at risk for HIE as a result of perinatal asphyxia, the use of hypothermic intervention for compromised infants, and barriers to the implementation of treatment.