Ventilatory response to CO with Read's rebreathing method in normal infants.

Background: Methods of evaluating the ventilatory response to CO (VRCO ) of the respiratory center include the steady-state and the rebreathing method. Although the rebreathing method can evaluate the ventilatory response continuously to gradually increasing CO , the rebreathing method has been rarely performed in infants. The aim of this study was to investigate whether we could perform the VRCO with the rebreathing method in normal infants.

Evaluation of respiratory center function in congenital central hypoventilation syndrome by monitoring electrical activity of the diaphragm.

Background: A definitive diagnosis of congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is made by genetic testing. However, there are only a few examinations that warrant genetic testing. Electrical activity of the diaphragm (Edi) reflects neural respiratory drive from respiratory center to diaphragm.

Is the neonatal creatine phosphokinase level a reliable marker for fetal hypoxia?

Aim: The creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level is believed to increase in neonatal peripheral blood after tissue damage, including damage from perinatal hypoxia. However, it is not clear whether it is truly a reliable marker for fetal hypoxia. We investigated the chronological changes in neonatal CPK and the reliability of CPK as a marker for fetal hypoxia.

A case of cervical esophageal duplication cyst in a newborn infant.

Esophageal duplication cyst is a rare congenital anomaly resulting from a foregut budding error during the fourth to sixth week of embryonic development. Cervical esophageal duplication cysts are very rare and may cause respiratory distress in infancy. A full-term newborn girl who was born by normal delivery was transferred to our hospital because of swelling of the right anterior neck since birth.

Tracheoplasty using the thymus against tracheo-esophageal fistula due to necrotizing tracheobronchitis in a very low birth weight infant.

We report a case of a very low birth weight infant treated successfully with tracheoplasty using the thymus against tracheo-esophageal fistula due to necrotizing tracheobronchitis. A baby boy was born at 31 weeks gestation with a birth body weight of 1,230 g. Suddenly on Day 19, his respiration deteriorated, and a flexible bronchofiberscopy showed tracheostenosis, tracheomalacia, and tracheal diverticula.

Breathing intolerance index in healthy infants.

Background: The breathing intolerance index (BITI) is used to justify ventilator use in adult patients with pulmonary or chest wall disease. BITI in ventilated patients is mostly ≥0.15.