The fetus depends entirely on the mother for its nutritional needs, of which glucose is the principal energy substrate that fuels fetal growth and metabolism. At birth, when the maternal supply is discontinued, the neonate must adjust to an independent…
Summary Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating disease of the gastrointestinal tract that affects mostly premature infants. It is the most significant contributor of gastrointestinal morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. NEC was first described over 60 years ago but…
Thoracic Anomalies Esophageal Atresia and Tracheoesophageal Fistula Combined anomalies of the esophagus and trachea are regular occurrences in most tertiary neonatal units caring for high-risk infants. The spectrum of recognized deformities comprises a variety of combinations involving esophageal atresia (EA)…
Chronic and prolonged diarrhea is a symptom complex with a variety of underlying etiologies. This chapter focuses on the approach to infants with protracted diarrhea and is a review of recent literature on infantile diarrheal illnesses. Intractable diarrhea is a…
Definitions Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is the physiologic retrograde passage of fluid from the stomach to the esophagus. Gastroesophageal reflux events occur in healthy infants multiple times per day. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the pathologic condition wherein such retrograde flow…
The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a complex combination of organs whose primary function is to digest and absorb nutrients. Many important secondary functions are also performed, such as the endocrine function of the pancreas. In fact, what was once…
Special Considerations for Transfusion Therapy in the Neonate Neonates constitute one of the most heavily transfused patient groups in the hospital. In a Canadian study, over 50% of infants at less than 30 weeks’ gestation and more than 80% of…
Human Hematopoietic Development Hematopoietic Stem Cells Blood cells arise from the differentiating embryonic mesoderm. Human erythroid and macrophage progenitor cells have been observed in the yolk sac by days 16-19 and at day 19 in the aortic-gonad-mesonephros (AGM). After the…
Introduction Neonates with congenital heart disease require a well-integrated and multidisciplinary team approach to achieve optimal outcomes. The complexity of managing a critically ill newborn is compounded greatly when the cardiovascular physiology and/or anatomy are significantly altered. Many of the…
Neonates experience a variety of cardiac arrhythmias, varying from benign and asymptomatic to life threatening. In this chapter we will discusses the normal and abnormal variations in cardiac rate and rhythms that are frequently encountered in the newborn period. Normal…