Decreasing Blood Transfusions in Premature Infants Through Quality Improvement.

Background And Objectives: Packed red blood cell transfusions (pRBCT) in preterm infants have been associated with significant morbidity. Although infants <26 weeks' gestational age typically require several pRBCT, preterm infants born between 26 and 34 weeks' gestational age may also require pRBCT during their hospitalization that are potentially preventable. We aimed to reduce pRBCT in this population by 20%.

Early pumping frequency and coming to volume for mother's own milk feeding in hospitalized infants.

Objective: To identify daily pumping frequencies associated with coming to volume (CTV: producing > 500 milliliters of milk per day by postnatal day 14) for mothers of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Study Design: We compared demographics and daily pumping frequencies for mothers who did and did not experience CTV.

Results: Of 427 mothers who produced milk, 201 (50.

Tricuspid regurgitation and left ventricular eccentricity as a measure of heart failure in the newborn patient with a vein of Galen malformation: illustrative case.

Background: Successful management of a vein of Galen malformation (VoGM) in the newborn patient requires a highly coordinated team approach involving neonatologists, pediatric cardiologists, pediatric neurologists, neurosurgeons, and interventionalists. Indication and timing of catheter intervention are topics of ongoing debate.

Observations: The authors highlighted two key echocardiographic markers believed to be practical indicators regarding the need for urgent catheter embolization in neonates with a VoGM.

Comparison of short-term outcomes of 35-weeks' gestation infants cared for in a level II NICU vs mother-baby, a retrospective study.

Background: Late preterm infants are at high risk for medical complications and represent a growing NICU population. While 34-weeks' gestation infants are generally admitted to the NICU and 36-weeks'gestation infants stay in mother-baby, there is wide practice variation for 35-weeks'gestation infants. The objective of this study was to compare short-term outcomes of 35-weeks' gestation infants born at two hospitals within the same health system (DUHS), where one (DRH) admits all 35-weeks' gestation infants to their level II NICU and the other (DUH) admits all 35-weeks' gestation infants to mother-baby, unless clinical concern.

Patterns of phlebotomy blood loss and transfusions in extremely low birth weight infants.

Objective: Characterize frequency and volume of blood draws and transfusions in extremely low birth weight infants in the first 10 weeks of life.

Study Design: We included infants with a birth weight <1000 g born 23 0/7-29 6/7 weeks gestational age (GA) and with a length of stay ≥10 weeks, admitted between 2014 and 2016 to a single neonatal intensive care unit.

Results: Of 54 infants, median (25th, 75th percentile) GA and birth weight were 25 weeks (24, 26) and 665 g (587, 822), respectively.