Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Neonatal RDS is a condition of increasing respiratory distress commencing at or shortly after birth (BAPM-2006). It’s the single most important cause of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants (Greenough, et al 2004). Typically RDS affects preterm infants with the incidence being inversely proportional to the gestational age (Stewart 2005) Approximately 60% of those born before 28 weeks gestation are affected (Fraser, et al 2004) Incidence also increases in infants of diabetic mothers those born via elective caesarean section (Fraser, et al 2004) and perinatal asphyxia (Rodriguez, 2003).

1. A physician is called to the intensive care unit to provide care for a patient who received second- and third-degree burns over 50 percent of his body due to a chemical fire. The patient is in respiratory distress and is suffering from severe dehydration. The physician provides support for two hours. Later that day the physician returns and provides an additional hour of critical care support to the patient.

The new versus classic BPD features have changed over the years. The approaches to care, including surfactant administration, permissive hypercapnia, and noninvasive ventilation have changed. All these has increased the survival of low birth weight infants as before with classic BPD. The classic BPD was before surfactant and more management techniques, and inflammation and alveolar septal fibrosis. All these changes were associated with oxygen toxicity, infection, and barotrauma.

Premature birth has been linked to a vast array of lungs problems, the earlier the birth the greater risk of health complications(Davis R and Mychaliska G, 2013). A majority of the health problems will affect the infant for the rest of their life (Davis R and Mychaliska G, 2013). Infants born between the canalicular and the saccular period (week 25) have lung development that is unsuitable for gas exchange (Davis R and Mychaliska G, 2013). Two major complications that arise with undeveloped lungs is bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and pulmonary arterial hypertension (Mahgoub L. et al. 2017).

overexposed to oxygen for extended periods (Jobe & Kallapur, 2010). When a baby is born

2013 the relationship between arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide PaCO2 with different pulmonary illness and neurodevelopmental impairment in premature babies was studied. The setting were multiple neonatal intensive care units. The method used in the study is a secondary exploratory analysis data from past research were procedures such as invasive like intubation, which involves the insertion of a tube in the trachea, were performed. The main variable measured was the amount of PaCo2 used going from high to low, described as Hypercapnia, Normocapnia, Hypocapnia and Fluctuators (from Hyper to Hypo). The group of premature infants assigned to the higher exposure to PaCO2 suffered death or severe

Another group of patients which require challenging ventilation strategies are the preterm infants. The lungs of preterm infants have undeveloped distal airway structures, with a thick air/blood barrier and a small surface area for gas-exchange (Wallace et al., 2009). They are most likely to be surfactant deficient due to under-developed epithelial cells which lack the type II alveolar cells (Wallace et al., 2009). As a result, preterm infants often require respiratory support in the minutes following birth (Roupie et al., 1995).

Postnatal respiratory complications among newborns are common. The most commonly reported cause of neonatal respiratory distress is transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN), with an estimated incidence of 1% to 2% of in all newborns.1

According to the American Lung Association, “Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a rapidly progressive disease occurring in critically ill patients.” ARDS is an extreme manifestation of a lung injury that can be associated with an acute medical problem. This occurs as a result of direct or indirect trauma to the lungs. With nearly 200,000 cases in the United States each year, ARDS is not extremely common (“Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome”). Most people who acquire this disease are critically ill patients within the hospital. The most common predisposing medical problems of ARDS consist of: shock, trauma, pulmonary infections, sepsis, aspiration, and cardiopulmonary bypass (Ignatavicious, 2013). ARDS is a severe syndrome and even with prompt and aggressive medical treatment, almost fifty percent of those diagnosed do not survive. Those who survive have a longer hospital stay along with recurring hospital admissions throughout their lifetime (“Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome”). Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a rapidly progressive disease which requires thorough assessment, rapid diagnosis, and emergency treatment measures in order to successfully respond to the disease process.

There are currently numerous advancements happening in neonatal care. Deaths among toddlers have dropped, there are more technological advancements now than ever before, with even more progress happening. 1 in every 8 babies born are premature. The number one reason that newborns die is due to being born premature. The invention of incubator was not made until 1891 (The History of Neonatal Intensive Care Units Timeline). This was the beginning of Neonatal Intensive Care, and could save babies that were born at this time only a few weeks early(The History of Neonatal Intensive Care Units Timeline). Before the 1900's, many, if not all premature babies weren't able to be saved. However with the invention of the incubator, most doctors and midwives

I am interested in being a NICU Nurse. Being a NICU nurse, I would encounter Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia or BPD because it is most commonly found in babies that are born more than 10 weeks early and weigh less than 2 pounds. The cause of BPD is the abnormal development of the tissues in the lungs. BPD can be prevented by seeing your doctor regularly, controlling any preexisting medical conditions, preventing any infections, and having a healthy diet. As well as using any illegal substances, tobacco products, or drink alcohol while pregnant. There are a few warning signs, which include rapid and shallow breathing, sharp puling in of the patient’s chest, grunting sounds, and flaring of the nostrils.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral disease. Its cause is the coronavirus, and it has been a pandemic infection in the past (Thiel, 2007). While SARS has not been completely eradicated, the last confirmed infection was in 2004 and was laboratory induced (Thiel, 2007). The last confirmed, naturally-occurring case was in 2003 at the end of an outbreak (Smith, 2006; Blendon, 2003). There were few SARS-related deaths in the United States, but there were numerous infections. All of those people acquired the disease from traveling abroad, and it did not spread widely as the US population feared it might. The majority of SARS cases were in China, which caused some Asian-Americans in the US to feel stigmatized (Thiel, 2007). The following picture shows the cases and deaths by country: INCLUDEPICTURE "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Sars_Cases_and_Deaths.pdf/page1-776px-Sars_Cases_and_Deaths.pdf.jpg" * MERGEFORMATINET

Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a highly contagious virus that is contracted when the victim touches a surface or sneezes. It is believed that SARS primarily attacks the lungs but it is not fully understood if it is the only organ affected. Some liver abnormalities have occurred but it is not fully known if the disease attacks the liver as well. The virus is believed to have originated from China, but it was diagnosed in a Vietnamese hospital by Dr. Carlo Urbani. Both the doctor and the patient died from SARS complications.

The respiratory system undergoes major changes as the newborn’s lungs fill with air during the first breath, and gas exchange across the pulmonary circulation abruptly replaces placental transfer.

The placenta is a major source of fetal prostaglandins and its removal after birth allows for the lungs to expand and become metabolically active, where most prostaglandins are degraded. This, in combination with increased pulmonary oxygen tension, in healthy full-term infants, normally causes functional closure of the ductus arteriosus within 15 hours after birth.