Bronze baby syndrome an infrequent complication of phototherapy: a case report

Abstract

Phototherapy is a common mode of treatment for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Bronze baby syndrome is an infrequent complication of phototherapy. The characteristic feature is a grayish-brown discoloration of the skin, plasma and urine. The pigment responsible for the discoloration has not been properly identified and pathogenesis remains still unelucidated. The bronze color disappears spontaneously and the findings are compared to other causes of dusky-hued skin in the neonate. The bronze baby syndrome is usually innocuous but can signal life-threatening disease for which investigations should be performed routinely.