An epidemic of congenital rubella in Barbados

Rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) are preventable, but epidemics of rubella and CRS are not infrequent in the Caribbean and other developing countries. As a result of a surveillance system initiated after an epidemic of rubella in the Barbadian population in 1996, cases of CRS were identified and investigated. A total of seven cases of CRS were proven to be rubella IgM-positive. The infants were found to have a mean birthweight of 2587 g and a mean gestational age of 38 weeks. The clinical course, complications and outcome of those infants were documented and the cost of acute hospital care for each patient was also recorded. Cataracts in four infants, congenital heart disease in three and central nervous system abnormalities in five were the major clinical abnormalities. In four infants, two or more clinical systems were affected. The combined total hospital stay was 105 days (mean 15, range 0-44). A national effort to immunize all those at risk and a strict surveillance programme are essential to prevent future epidemics. This would lead to a significant reduction in the number of cases of rubella and CRS and could effect substantial savings in the national health budget.     

Burden of congenital rubella syndrome after a community-wide rubella outbreak,Rio Branco,Acre, Brazil, 2000 to 2001

BACKGROUND: During 1999 and 2000 rubella outbreaks were reported in 20 of 27 states in Brazil, many among young adults. We investigated a large rubella outbreak in Rio Branco, Acre, in northwestern Brazil, where rubella vaccination targeting children 1 to 11 years old had been introduced in April 2000. Surveillance for congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) was initiated after the outbreak. METHODS: Suspected rubella cases were detected through active and passive surveillance. Confirmed rubella cases were patients with fever, rash and rubella-specific IgM antibodies. Suspected CRS cases were infants born with CRS-compatible defects or born to mothers with a history of rubella during pregnancy. Confirmed cases were infants with CRS-compatible defects and rubella-specific IgM antibodies. RESULTS: From April 1 to December 31, 2000, 391 confirmed rubella cases were reported. The incidence among persons ages 12 to 19 years (3.3 per 1000 population) was increased 3.7-fold relative to children ages 1 to 4 years (95% confidence interval, 2.4 to 5.8). Of 21 infants with suspected CRS cases, 17 (91%) were tested for rubella-specific antibodies, of whom 7 were IgM-positive and 5 had confirmed CRS. The peak incidence of confirmed CRS (4.3 per 1000) was in March 2001, 7 months after the outbreak peak, with an annualized incidence of 0.6 per 1000. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination among school age children was insufficient to prevent a rubella outbreak among young adults that resulted in the occurrence of at least 5 cases of CRS. To prevent further cases of CRS, outbreak vaccination of young adults was conducted in November 2000 and among women ages 12 to 39 years in 2001 as part of a national campaign, with a coverage of 98% statewide.     

Incidence, clinical features and estimated costs of congenital rubella syndrome after a large rubella outbreak in Recife, Brazil, 1999-2000

BACKGROUND: During 1998-2000, a large rubella outbreak was reported from Recife, the capital municipality of Pernambuco State, in northeastern Brazil. In 2002, a study was conducted to assess the burden of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) after this outbreak. METHODS: To describe the rubella outbreak, we analyzed data available from the National Notifiable Disease System. A retrospective record review for CRS was conducted at 6 maternity hospitals where 53% of Recife's resident live births occurred during 1999-2000 and 1 tertiary health care center. Suspected CRS cases were infants with any manifestation of CRS or maternal infection during pregnancy. Standard international definitions for compatible and confirmed CRS cases were used. Direct CRS costs were based on reimbursements by the National Health System. RESULTS: From October 1998 to July 2000, Recife reported 681 confirmed rubella cases. The highest incidence of rubella was among children 5-11 years of age (5.4 per 1000 population). Forty-five suspected CRS cases were identified; 29 were clinically compatible and 2 were laboratory-confirmed. The average annual incidence of CRS was 0.9 per 1000 live births during 1999-2000. Overall costs for the first year follow-up were estimated at 61,824 US dollars in this cohort. CONCLUSIONS: High rubella vaccination coverage is required to prevent the severe congenital disabilities and high economic costs of CRS. Increased clinician awareness is critical for early CRS detection. Complete reporting is essential to evaluate the impact of vaccination programs and to document progress toward the goal of CRS elimination in the Americas by the year 2010.     

Passive compliance of total respiratory system in preterm newborn infants with respiratory distress syndrome

The passive compliance of the total respiratory system (CRS) was measured by the occlusion technique in 34 preterm newborn infants with respiratory distress syndrome. Gestational age ranged from 27 to 33 weeks. Preterm newborn infants were divided into four groups on the basis of clinical criteria. Group 1 consisted of 10 infants tested during the first postnatal days (1 to 3 days) while acutely ill and requiring ventilation and oxygen therapy. After the acute phase of respiratory distress syndrome, two groups were tested: group 2 consisted of nine infants (5 to 22 days of age) who no longer required ventilation, and group 3 consisted of six infants (7 to 28 days of age) who subsequently had bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Group 4 consisted of nine infants older than 1 month of age with confirmed bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Group 1 had significantly lower CRS and CRS normalized for body weight (CRS/BW) than group 2 had (P less than 0.001). In groups 3 and 4 CRS was significantly lower than in group 2 (P less than 0.001), as was CRS/BW (P less than 0.001). There was no significant difference in CRS and CRS/BW values between groups 3 and 4. This cross-sectional study in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome suggests that CRS may have predictive value in regard to development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia after the acute phase of respiratory distress syndrome.     

A Rubella Epidemic in Sasebo, Japan in 1957, with Various Complications

Though the rubella vaccination programme for adolescent girls was introduced in Japan in 1977, rubella epidemics have occurred repeatedly. Also in Sasebo, Japan in 1987, we experienced various complications as follows: encephalitis (five cases), meningitis (three), thrombocytopenic purpura (four), vascular purpura (four), hemolytic anemia (two), pneumonia (eight), protein-losing gastroenteropathy (one), multiple organ disorder with encephalitis, purpura, myocarditis, hepatic and renal dysfunction (one), and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS: three). Disorders ranging over multiple organs seem to occur in acquired as well as congenital rubella infection. The incidence of encephalitis was estimated to be 1: 1600 cases of rubella and two of five cases were apparently serious. Though the strategy for preventing rubella has been directed only against CRS, we should note the various and severe complications with acquired rubella infection, and should adopt two-stepped protection: vaccination of young children of both sexes and of adolescent girls.     

Molecular epidemiology of rubella virus in Asia: Utility for reduction in the burden of diseases due to congenital rubella syndrome

BACKGROUND: Rubella is a mild disease mainly of infants, involving a rash and a fever. However, when women who have no immunity to rubella are infected during the early stage of pregnancy, their babies are often born with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), which is characterized by a few disorders including deafness, cataracts and heart malformations. To prevent CRS, several strains of live attenuated rubella vaccine have been developed and introduced into immunization programs in many countries. In most Asian countries except Japan, Singapore and Taiwan, rubella remains uncontrolled, and the burden of diseases from CRS is high. In order to develop a control program to reduce the number of CRS cases in Asian countries, it is necessary to conduct a survey of rubella and CRS cases, and to then determine the genotype of the circulating rubella virus in each country. METHODS: Cases of rubella and CRS, based on national reporting systems or active surveillance in the Asian countries, are summarized. Sequences of the E1 gene of the virus isolates from the Asian countries were compared by phylogenic analysis. RESULTS: Recent studies of the molecular epidemiology of rubella virus worldwide revealed that there are two genotypes, and that genotype I is circulating almost worldwide, while genotype II is an Asian prototype restricted to the Asian continent. Genotype I viruses fall into a number of groups, some of which are geographically localized. Antigenically these two genotypes are cross-reactive and immunization with either virus results in immunity to all rubella viruses. DISCUSSION: The hypotheses that rubella virus has evolved on the Asian continent is proposed. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized that a rubella immunization program can be combined with the measles immunization program. Inclusion of rubella in the expanded program of immunization (EPI) of measles would be ideal in Asian countries, as it would be efficient and cost effective to administer one injection containing a three-combined vaccine (MMR). It would also be desirable given that WHO require laboratory tests to confirm the presence of measles or rubella as part of it's measles control project, because rubella is often misdiagnosed as measles.     

A case with ICF syndrome lost to rubella pneumonitis

The immunodeficiency, centromeric instability, and facial anomalies (ICF) syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by variable immunodeficiency, instability of the pericentromeric heterochromatin, and facial dysmorphism. Here we report a new case of ICF syndrome who died of rubella pneumonitis. A six year-old-girl who was the first child of consanguineous parents was admitted to the hospital because of bronchopneumonia. Laboratory investigations revealed pan-hypogammaglobulinemia, lymphoperria, normal proportions of peripheral blood lymphocytes with an inverted CD4/CD8 ratio, and interstitial pneumonia with a positive serology of acute rubella infection. The ICF syndrome was diagnosed by centromeric instability in the standard cytogenetic analysis. An inclusion body was demonstrated in the lung biopsy after the death of the patient. Chromosomal investigation could be helpful along with other tests for diagnosis of variable immunodeficiency accompanied by facial dysmorphism.     

Burden of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) in India: <Emphasis Type="Italic">A systematic review</Emphasis>

Background

Rubella, though a mild, vaccine-preventable disease, can manifest with severe teratogenic effects in the fetus labeled as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) due to primary maternal rubella infection. Despite a reduction in disease burden of several vaccine-preventable diseases through childhood immunization, CRS continues to account for preventable severe morbidity including childhood blindness, deafness, heart disease, and mental retardation.

Objective

To conduct a systematic review to describe the prevalence of CRS and its contribution to major long-term handicaps in Indian population. Another objective was to estimate the susceptibility to rubella infection in Indian adolescent girls and women of reproductive age-group. We also explored strategies to decrease CRS in India by identifying the immunogenicity of rubella containing vaccines (RCV) in Indian children and women, as well as their coverage in India.

Methods

Publications reporting ‘CRS prevalence in general population as well as selected subgroups i.e., suspected intra-uterine infection, congenital ocular abnormalities, deafness, congenital heart disease, mental retardation, and congenital malformations’, ‘seroprevalence to rubella (IgG) amongst women and adolescents’, and ‘immunogenicity and coverage of RCVs’ in Indian population were retrieved through a systematic search. Primary databases employed were Medline through PubMed and IndMed, websites of the WHO, and UNICEF. No restrictions were applied in terms of study designs. The primary outcome measure was ‘congenital rubella syndrome’ (CRS) which was further categorized as ‘suspected CRS’ and ‘confirmed CRS’ as defined by World Health Organization (WHO).

Results

Comprehensive evidence about the true burden of CRS in India is not available. Almost all studies have been done in institutional/hospital set-ups and community-based studies are grossly lacking. There are no studies assessing the prevalence of CRS in general population. All studies have evaluated the CRS burden in symptomatic cohorts of children. 1–15% of all infants suspected to have intra-uterine infection were found to have laboratory evidence of CRS. About 3–10% of suspected CRS cases are ultimately proven to have confirmed CRS with the aid of laboratory tests. CRS accounts for 10–15% of pediatric cataract. 10–50% of children with congenital anomalies have laboratory evidence of CRS. 10–30% of adolescent females and 12–30% of women in the reproductive age-group are susceptible to rubella infection in India. RCVs are highly immunogenic in Indian adolescents and women. The coverage data of RCVs in India is not available. However, the coverage of MMR vaccine has been reported as 42%, 30% and 5% from Delhi, Chandigarh and Goa, respectively.

Conclusion

This systematic review identifies and explores factors associated with the prevalence of CRS in India. There is a need for urgent action in terms of revamping the national immunization policy and introduction of RCVs in the national immunization program. Active surveillance of rubella and CRS is needed to redress the burden of CRS in India.

     

Causes of death in the extremely low birth weight infant

OBJECTIVE: To present primary and secondary causes of death confirmed by autopsy for the extremely low birth weight infant. METHODS: A total of 111 infants weighing between 300 and 1000 g at birth who died and were autopsied at our hospital during the 4-year period 1990-1993 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical, pathologic, and laboratory data were retrieved including results of placental examinations and autopsy cultures. Primary and secondary causes of death were assigned by the authors. RESULTS: Infection was the most common primary cause (56/111) followed by respiratory distress syndrome/bronchopulmonary dysplasia (24/111) and congenital defect (15/111). Immaturity as an only cause appeared almost exclusively in infants weighing <500 g at birth. Infection was significantly underdiagnosed clinically with most of these deaths attributed to immaturity or respiratory distress syndrome. In only 1 case was intraventricular hemorrhage considered the primary cause of death although it was present as a secondary cause in 19/111. Infections were divided into congenital (30/56) and acquired (26/56) by time of death. The congenital infections (相似文献   

Estimating the burden of congenital rubella syndrome in Costa Rica, 1996-2001

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of rubella in Costa Rica changed during recent decades, shifting the susceptible groups to the reproductive age. This study estimates the burden of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) from 1996 to 2001 in this country. METHODS: Three methods to calculate CRS incidence were used. A retrospective search ("Observed cases") was conducted using hospital discharge records of children born from 1996 to 2001 with selected codes of ICD9 and ICD10 consistent with CRS and children <3 months of age with a positive serologic test for rubella IgM antibody at the National Children's Hospital (NCH). Cases were classified as either suspected, compatible or confirmed CRS and congenital rubella infection. "Expected" incidence of CRS was calculated using reported cases of rubella (women 15-45 years of age) and fertility rates, assuming CRS probability of 0.9 during the first trimester of pregnancy and 0.5 of asymptomatic rubella cases. "Estimated" CRS cases were calculated using incidence rates reported from modeling analysis during epidemic and endemic years. RESULTS: Of the 577 discharge charts reviewed and the 66 children reported as rubella IgM(+), 40 compatible CRS cases, 45 confirmed, and 4 with congenital rubella infection cases were identified. The range of annual incidence rate of CRS (per 1000 live births) was as follows: "Observed" = 0.00-0.33, "Expected" = 0.00-0.35 and "Estimated" = 0.5-1.5. Compared with the estimated number of CRS cases, only 27.2% of CRS cases were detected from the retrospective search and 10.1% would be expected when calculated using rubella reported cases. CONCLUSIONS: The under-detection of CRS cases using rubella reported cases in women of reproductive age and retrospective search of CRS reinforces the importance of suspecting CRS in the presence of a single compatible manifestation. Laboratory confirmation is indispensable to implement CRS elimination strategies and should be done in every suspected case.     

Fetal risk associated with rubella vaccination during pregnancy

BACKGROUND: Costa Rica implemented a nationwide measles-rubella vaccination campaign among men and women (15-39 years old) in May 2001. A protocol was developed to follow-up the vaccinated women who were unknowingly pregnant, to determine the risk of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) or congenital rubella infection only associated with the administration of the rubella vaccine RA27/3 during pregnancy. METHODS: To classify the prevaccination maternal immune status, a serum sample was taken at the initial evaluation to detect IgM and IgG rubella antibodies (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). All pregnancies were followed up and all newborns were evaluated. A cord serum sample of their children was taken at birth. We calculated odds ratio, OR (95% confidence interval, 95% CI) associated with miscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity, low birth weight, and the presence of defects compatible with CRS. RESULTS: The prevaccination immune status was established in 797 women and 1191 mother and child pairs were analyzed. Adjusted OR for miscarriage (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.26-1.39), stillbirth (OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 0.10-16.81), prematurity (OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.03-2.39), low birth weight (OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.03-2.23) and defects compatible with CRS (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.34-3.54) showed no association between immune and susceptible maternal status. There were no cases of CRS and no children were IgM positive. CONCLUSIONS: No adverse pregnancy outcome such as miscarriages or CRS was documented in women who were vaccinated and unknowingly pregnant. These results support RA27/3 rubella vaccine safety.     

Pulmonary interstitial emphysema due to respiratory syncytial virus infection

Pulmonary interstitial emphysema (PIE) primarily affects premature infants on positive pressure ventilation. PIE is rarely reported in infants and children in the absence of mechanical ventilation and/or associated respiratory infection. We report a case of PIE in a 22‐month‐old girl who had severe respiratory distress due to respiratory syncytial virus infection. Chest computed tomography showed cystic lung lesions mimicking congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation. The cystic lesions spontaneously resolved after conservative treatment. Based on the clinical course and the chronological changes on imaging, the cystic lung lesions were diagnosed as localized persistent PIE.     

Clinical manifestations of epidemic neonatal listeriosis

We report the broad spectrum of clinical manifestations in 23 infants with positive cultures for Listeria monocytogenes who were treated in our hospital during a recent epidemic. The majority of infants (70%) were preterm and none was small for gestational age. Thirteen (56%) had respiratory distress at birth with evidence of congenital pneumonia. Four of the 5 deaths occurred among these infants. Four infants considered healthy after resuscitation developed fever and lethargy within 36 hours after birth. Only one of these infants had evidence of pneumonia. We conclude that congenital pneumonia with respiratory distress at birth is the major cause of mortality and morbidity from L. monocytogenes infection in the neonate.     

Congenital rubella syndrome in Western Australia

The birth prevalence of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) in Western Australia has been around 20 per 10 000 live births with peaks up to 100 per 10 000 in rubella epidemic years. The rate appears to be falling but it is still too soon to know whether the rubella vaccination programme in Western Australia has made a significant impact. The cohorts of young women who would have received the schoolgirl vaccination programme are only now entering the child bearing age groups. Observed falls may be due also to delayed diagnosis particularly of cases of deafness only. The proportion of nonimmune young women who would have been eligible for the programme in one maternity hospital has fallen. This study needs to be repeated to ascertain whether further epidemics of rubella have resulted in peaks of CRS or whether the vaccination programme has started to have an effect.     

Congenital rubella syndrome in Western Australia

Abstract The birth prevalence of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) in Western Australia has been around 20 per 10 000 live births with peaks up to 100 per 10 000 in rubella epidemic years. The rate appears to be falling but it is still too soon to know whether the rubella vaccination programme in Western Australia has made a significant impact. The cohorts of young women who would have received the schoolgirl vaccination programme are only now entering the child bearing age groups. Observed falls may be due also to delayed diagnosis particularly of cases of deafness only. The proportion of nonimmune young women who would have been eligible for the programme in one maternity hospital has fallen.
This study needs to be repeated to ascertain whether further epidemics of rubella have resulted in peaks of CRS or whether the vaccination programme has started to have an effect.     

Surfactant Replacement Therapy in Preterm Neonates: A Comparison of Postmortem Pulmonary Histology in Treated and Untreated Infants

New histological lesions have been reported in the lungs of preterm neonates treated with surfactant for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Globular deposits of hyaline material in parenchymal air spaces, absence of hyaline membranes, and increased interstitial cellularity and edema without associated fibrosis have been described. Fifteen histological findings were assessed in the lung pathology of 76 infants with RDS from three study groups. Group I (24 infants) died in the presurfactant era (before 1982), group II (26 infants) died despite having surfactant treatment, and group III (26 infants) were either untreated controls or did not receive surfactant for other reasons. The three groups were comparable in respect of sex and survival time. All infants were 34 weeks of gestation or less. Infants with a significant congenital abnormality or pulmonary hypoplasia were excluded. The 76 cases were assessed independently and “blindly” by two pathologists. The histological findings assessed were alveolar collapse; epithelial necrosis, proliferation, and metaplasia; hyaline membranes; dilated lymphatics; pulmonary interstitial emphysema; interstitial edema, inflammation, and fibrosis; arteriolar muscular hyperplasia; interstitial and intra-alveolar hemorrhage; massive pulmonary hemorrhage; and pneumonia. No significant differences were found in any of the histological findings between the three groups. The hyaline membranes seen in the surfactant-treated infants were identical to those in the untreated lungs and were of the characteristic linear type. Interstitial fibrosis, inflammation, and edema were present in all three groups. It has also been suggested that surfactant therapy protects preterm infants from interstitial hemorrhage but predisposes them to intra-alveolar hemorrhage. No significant difference in the incidence of intra-alveolar and interstitial hemorrhage in the three groups was identified.     

婴儿肺炎呼吸系统顺应性及阻力的被动流速容量测定

目的：探讨婴儿肺炎时呼吸系统顺应性(CRS)及阻力(RRS)的变化。方法：79例婴儿肺炎分为1～6月和7～12月2个年龄组。其中重症肺炎27例(1～6个月13例,7～12个月14例),普通肺炎52例(1～6个月28例,7～12个月24例)及37例正常婴儿(1～6个月18例,7～12个月19例)。采用美国森迪公司2600型肺功能仪,利用被动流速容量技术(PFV)进行CRS及RRS的测定。结果：1～6个月正常对照组、普通肺炎组和重症肺炎组的CRS分别为(0.017±0.005),(0.004±0.001),(0.003±0.0008) L/kPa,RRS分别为(3.61±0.76),(9.09±2.32),(10.14±1.01) kPa·s/L。7～12个月正常对照组、普通肺炎组和重症肺炎组的CRS分别为(0.020±0.005),(0.011±0.002),(0.006±0.002) L/kPa,RRS分别为(1.11±0.23),(1.61±0.37),(2.05±0.55) kPa·s/L。3组间CRS及RRS差异有显著性意义(P<0.05)。结论：婴儿肺炎时CRS降低,RRS增高,且病情愈严重改变愈明显。     

A profile of mothers giving birth to infants with congenital rubella syndrome. An assessment of risk factors

To formulate strategies for elimination of congenital rubella syndrome, it is important to identify risk factors for delivering an infant affected by it. We analyzed cases of congenital rubella syndrome in infants born from 1970 to 1985 and reported to either one of two independent Centers for Disease Control surveillance systems. Mothers of infants with congenital rubella syndrome identified in both surveillance systems were disproportionately younger than mothers giving birth in the United States. The risk for delivering an infant with congenital rubella syndrome was approximately 2.5 times higher for blacks compared with whites for both reporting systems. A total of 18% of infants with congenital rubella syndrome born since 1979 were Hispanic (national population average, 7%). Both surveillance systems showed that, although primiparous mothers were at highest risk, 39% of women delivering infants affected by congenital rubella syndrome had had at least one previous live birth, suggesting that postpartum immunization could have prevented these congenital rubella syndrome cases. Young, black, and Hispanic primiparous women represent populations at elevated risk for delivering a congenital rubella syndrome-affected infant and should be specifically targeted for immunization.     

Effect of preoperative stabilization on respiratory system compliance and outcome in newborn infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia

To determine whether preoperative stabilization and delay of operative repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) may decrease operative risk, we performed serial pulmonary function tests on 22 newborn infants with CDH and on four infants without pulmonary hypoplasia (two with ileal atresia and two with tracheoesophageal anomalies) who served as control subjects. We used 2 passive respiratory mechanics technique to measure respiratory system compliance. All patients with CDH had respiratory distress immediately after birth, and required mechanical ventilation. Thirteen babies underwent emergency repair (six survived, seven died); nine of them received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) after the operation (two survived, seven died). Operative repair was delayed deliberately for 2 to 11 days in nine infants with severe hypoxemia. Six immediately received ECMO for 4 to 10 days; one died of intraventricular hemorrhage, and five survived and later underwent surgical repair. The seventh patient did not receive ECMO but appeared to have respiratory distress syndrome of infancy and improved after administration of synthetic surfactant. Improvement was seen in two additional infants who received conventional assisted ventilation during a 48-hour delay before surgery, and survived. In all, eight of nine infants who underwent preoperative stabilization survived (p less than 0.05 compared with survival after emergency surgery). Following surgical repair immediately after birth, respiratory system compliance improved only slightly during the first week of life, a time when control infants had a rapid increase in respiratory system compliance (p less than 0.001). In contrast, respiratory system compliance increased nearly twofold in the nine patients undergoing preoperative stabilization (p less than 0.02). Preoperative ECMO was associated with an increase in respiratory system compliance of more than 60% for 1 week, a significant difference from respiratory system compliance among patients undergoing emergency CDH repair (p less than 0.05). These observations provide physiologic evidence of possible benefits of preoperative stabilization before repair of CDH.     

ECMO in newborn infants: The Melbourne experience

At the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been used in the treatment of newborn infants with life-threatening respiratory or cardiac failure since May 1989. The main indications for the use of ECMO are that the disease is reversible, the surviving infant is likely to be normal and there is an 80% likelihood of death without ECMO. Sixteen of 22 (73%) newborn infants have survived at least 6 months after ECMO. Fourteen of 16 (87.5%) infants receiving ECMO (who did not have a congenital diaphragmatic hernia) were functionally normal survivors; the other two infants died. Two of six infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia who received ECMO were discharged and survived to have normal neurological and respiratory function at 6 month follow up. These results are similar to results from other centres internationally. It would appear that ECMO is a useful therapy for near-term newborn infants with otherwise fatal cardiorespiratory failure.