Billy F. Andrews

Premature Rupture of Membranes and Its Effect on the Newborn

The problems of infants born after premature rupture of membranes and the relationship of other complications to premature rupture of membranes are considered.

Reduction of Cerebral Palsy by Neonatal Intensive Care

Neonatal mortality has declined since the advent of intensive care. The incidence of cerebral palsy has likewise decreased in spite of increased survival of low birth weight infants.

Neonatal Sepsis A Survey of Eight Years' Experience at the Louisville General Hospital

Information from 50 infants with neonatal septicemia from the Louisville General Hospital during an eight-year period (1964-1972) is presented. Twenty-five infants had gram-positive and the other 25 had gram-negative organisms. E. coli (13 cases), Staphylococcus (10 cases), and hemolytic Streptococcus non-Group A (7 cases) were the most common causative microorganisms. Only one of the 25 infants with gram-positive sepsis died; three with gram-negative sepsis died. Listeria monocytogenes was demonstrated in three infants; all had meningitis with no mortality. Early diagnosis, prompt intensive antibacterial therapy, and a high index of suspicion are most helpful for reducing the morbidity and mortal ity.

A simple method for detection of heterozygous carriers of the gene for classic phenylketonuria

Plasma phenylalanine (Phe) and tyrosine (Tyr) concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in arteriolar blood obtained by finger prick from 78 normal volunteers and 36 heterozygote carriers of phenylketonuria (PKU). Subjects were tested at midday, 3 to 4 hours after their breakfast. Values for the micromolar ratio of Phe/Tyr and Phe2/Tyr for control subjects fell below 1.2 and 80, respectively; values for all carriers of PKU were higher for one or both ratios. This method should be applicable to widespread screening of the general population for carriers of the gene for PKU.

Umbilical vessel catheterization: the low incidence of complications in a series of 200 newborn infants.

Supported in part by health, education and welfare grants 04-H-000319-02-0 and MCR 2010102-04-0. From the Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville KY 40201. I N MANY NEONATAL intensive care nurseries, umbilical vessels are being catheterized for monitoring of acid-base balance, arterial oxygenation, and blood pressure, and a diversity of complications of such catheter use have been described. 1-6 We here describe

To shake or not to shake: evaluation of agitation of donor blood during exchange transfusion.

* Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville of Medicine, Louisville, Ky. 40202. AFTER the exchange transfusion proceJ.. JLFTER ge transfusion dure for hemolytic disease of the newborn, the infant’s levels of hemoglobin and total protein are not always adequate. This dangerous state possibly results because of neglect of one basic principle of the procedure-agitation of the donor blood.