Peritoneal drainage as primary management in necrotizing enterocolitis: a prospective study.

Background/purpose: The use of peritoneal drainage (PD) in neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is controversial. The authors began to perform it successfully in infants with pneumoperitoneum, and subsequently they extended its use to infants with peritonitis and advanced NEC before radiologic evidence of peritoneal free air. To analyze the efficacy of PD they began a prospective study.

Outbreaks of influenza A virus infection in neonatal intensive care units.

Background: Outbreaks of nosocomial influenza virus infections have been described rarely during childhood and even less so in the neonatal period.

Methods: We report 30 neonates admitted to 2 neonatal intensive care units with nosocomial influenza A virus infection, which occurred in 2 outbreaks during 1999. Risk factors for infection were evaluated, and control measures were adopted.

Early administration of the second dose of surfactant (beractant) in the treatment of severe hyaline membrane disease.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to demonstrate that administration of the second dose of beractant 2 h after the first one is more effective than 6 h after the initial dose. The inclusion criteria for the recruitment of newborn infants were: age < or = 8 h, birthweight 600-2000 g, gestational age 23-36 wk, need for mechanical ventilation with inspiratory oxygen fraction (FiO2) > or = 0.4 and mean airway pressure (MAP) > or = 7 cmH2O to obtain arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) values between 70 and 80 mmHg, and thoracic X-ray compatible with hyaline membrane disease (HMD).