Prostaglandin E1 is crucial for keeping the patent ductus arteriosus in critical congenital heart disease for the survival and palliation of particularly prematurely born babies until a cardiosurgical intervention is available. In this study, the side effects of prostaglandin E1 in newborns with critical congenital heart disease and clinical outcomes were evaluated. Thirty-five newborns diagnosed with critical congenital heart disease were treated with prostaglandin E1 between January 2012 and September 2014 at our hospital. Patient charts were examined for prostaglandin E1 side effects (metabolic, gastric outlet obstruction, apnea), clinical status, and prognosis. Acquired data were analyzed in the SPSS 20.0 program. Patients with birth weight under 2500 g needed more days of prostaglandin E1 infusion than ones with birthweight over 2500 g (P = 0.016). The ratio of patients with birth weight under 2500 g who received prostaglandin E1 longer than 7 days was higher than the patients with birth weight over 2500 g (P = 0.02). Eighteen side effects were encountered in 11 of 35 patients (31%). Of these side effects, 1 patient had 4, 4 patients had 2, and 6 patients had only 1 side effect. Discontinuation of the therapy was never needed. Prostaglandin E1 is an accepted therapy modality for survival and outcome in critical congenital heart disease in particularly low-birth-weight babies until a surgical intervention is available. Side effects are not less encountered but are almost always manageable, and discontinuation is not needed.

Background: Neural tube defects are a group of congenital malformations in which the spinal column is bifid as a result of failed closure of the embryonic neural tube. Although not common, they might be complicated with pelvic organ prolapse mostly due to abnormal innervation and the resulting atrophy of the pelvic floor musculature. Case: In this case report we present a newborn with uterovaginal prolapse in the setting of meningomyelocele, in whom the prolapse of pelvic organs spontaneously ameliorated after surgical correction of meningomyelocele.

Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is an exotoxin that is produced by many strains of Staphylococcus aureus, and an important virulence factor. A PVL-positive S. aureus infection leads to rapid and severe infections of soft tissue and necrotizing pneumonia in healthy adolescents, and has a high mortality. This case report included a 12-year-old male patient who admitted for fever, respiratory distress and hip pain and was identified with necrotizing pneumonia with septic pulmonary embolism, psoas abscess, cellulitis and osteomyelitis. The PVL positive methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) was isolated in the patient blood culture.

Background. Nasal obstruction may cause short- and long-term problems such as respiratory distress, cyanosis, apnea, difficulty during feeding, and failure to thrive during the newborn period; since newborns are obligatory nasal breathers. Compression effect of the nasal cannulas and prongs used during respiratory support and nasal aspiration applications to clear the airways of secretions may result in nasal synechiae and acquired iatrogenic nasal obstruction. Case. In this case report, we present a premature newborn with nasal synechiae secondary to long-term nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nasal CPAP) applications and routine upper airway nursing care. Conclusion. Severe nasal damage may occur in premature newborns receiving prolonged nasal CPAP support. To prevent this upper airway care should be conducted as gently as possible in premature newborns.

OBJECTIVE: Despite improvements in neonatal care, neonatal bacterial meningitis is still an emerging problem worldwide with high rates of mortality. The present study evaluates data on suspected- and culture-proven neonatal bacterial meningitis in the light of a single tertiary reference center experience in Turkey in comparison with the globe. STUDY DESIGN: In this retrospective cohort study newborns admitted to Hacettepe University Ihsan Dogramaci Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during a 5-year-period between April 2014-May 2019 and who underwent atraumatic lumbar puncture were included. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-four patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Most common symptoms in all patients raised suspicion in favor of NBM and resulted in lumbar puncture were fever (34.5%, n=91), respiratory distress (31.1%, n=82), lethargy (31.1%, n=82), and apnea (26.1%, n=69). The incidence of culture-proven NBM among suspected patients was 5.7% (n=15/264); while the incidence is 3.1 per 1000 (15/4574) at all Neonatal Intensive Care Unit admissions. Respiratory distress (60.0%, n=9/15) and apnea (40.0%, n=6/15) were the most common symptoms in patients with NBM; which may be due to the predominance of premature newborns in the NBM group. The most common microorganisms in CSF cultures were coagulase-negative Staphylococci with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis being most common among all. CONCLUSIONS: The present study underlines high rates of culture-proven neonatal bacterial meningitis among suspected newborns despite improvements in modern health care, which raises attention to careful evaluation of these patients and early administration of properly-selected antibiotics. Our incidence rates are in keeping with studies from the developed world.