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Common diagnosis and pathologies in the NICU include:
Anemia Apnea Bradycardia Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) Hydrocephalus Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) Jaundice Major birth defects Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) Premature birth Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) sepsis Infant respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) Neonatal jaundice Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) Sepsis Transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN) Besides prematurity and extreme low birth-weight, common diseases cared for in a NICU include perinatal asphyxia, major birth defects, sepsis, neonatal jaundice, and Infant respiratory distress syndrome due to immaturity of the lungs. The leading cause of death in NICUs is generally necrotizing enterocolitis. Complications of extreme prematurity may include intracranial hemorrhage, chronic bronchopulmonary dysplasia (see Infant respiratory distress syndrome), or retinopathy of prematurity. An infant may spend a day of observation in a NICU or may spend many months there. Neonatology and NICUs have greatly increased the survival of very low birth-weight and extremely premature infants. In the era before NICUs, infants of birth weight less than 1400 grams (3 lb, usually about 30 weeks gestation) rarely survived. Today, infants of 500 grams at 26 weeks have a fair chance of survival. Here are further guidelines. |