Anoxic brain injuries on MRI?

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Would this show up? Night shift had a baby brought in, delivered in the ambulance, breech, stuck for over 15 minutes. Got him back, transferred to tertiary care, no answers yet. There's got to be some damage, just wondering if it would show up on a scan.

My youngest was a buttling breech, firmly lodged in the outlet that way. I was not happy when the doc said I had to be sectioned. I saw him earlier today (he was involved in last night's case) and I thanked him.

Oh. No clue. Every vented baby I've ever had in the ER was either obtunded or sedated, so I've never seen that.

Sucking increases secretions, which triggers swallowing. How does a vented baby handle secretions?

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
Oh. No clue. Every vented baby I've ever had in the ER was either obtunded or sedated, so I've never seen that.

Sucking increases secretions, which triggers swallowing. How does a vented baby handle secretions?

Babies with intact nervous systems can usually swallow and handle their secretions pretty well when vented. They require some oral suctioning, but not to a great extent, and need good oral care.

If a baby is heavily sedated, paralyzed, or has a damaged nervous system then they tend to have copious, thick secretions that require constant attention.

So, if this baby is sucking and/or swallowing, that would be an encouraging sign.

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Hm. I'll check on that next time I go to work. We do follow-ups on all pts we transfer out, so it wouldn't be unusual for me to call for an update. Thanks.

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Term. Came in with CPR in progress. I don't know about the reflexes but I'm thinking he's sedated since he's vented.

Not necessarily. When I did my 6 months (admittedly not a long time) in the NICU, they never sedated babies, even on vents. Just didn't like to do it.

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Ah. Geez, I've got a lot to learn about NICU!

15 minutes or more with his head trapped in the uterus........I'm thinking he may not even need sedation. There's gotta be some major damage.

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
Not necessarily. When I did my 6 months (admittedly not a long time) in the NICU, they never sedated babies, even on vents. Just didn't like to do it.

Gosh, I hope that was a long time ago. It is common now for babies (especially term babies strong enough to fight the vent) to receive some type of pain relief/sedation, often in the form of morphine or fentanyl drips.

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Thanks, Jolie! Didn't make sense to me that adults would be sedated but neos wouldn't.

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