Academic literature on the topic 'Intact Cord Resuscitation'

Delayed clamping of the neonatal umbilical cord is considered beneficial to the transition to extrauterine life in a term, uncomplicated birth. However, some neonates require resuscitation and the ability to perform this is a fundamental aspect of midwifery practice. The decision to clamp and cut the umbilical cord often precludes any resuscitative attempt, but the reasoning for this action is unclear. This article explores the purpose and place of leaving the umbilical cord intact during neonatal resuscitation. It considers the physiological basis for delaying cord clamping as well as the psychological benefits to baby, mother and family of leaving the cord intact until resuscitation is complete.

Resuscitation at birth of infants with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) remains highly challenging because of severe failure of cardiorespiratory adaptation at birth. Usually, the umbilical cord is clamped immediately after birth. Delaying cord clamping while the resuscitation maneuvers are started may: (1) facilitate blood transfer from placenta to baby to augment circulatory blood volume; (2) avoid loss of venous return and decrease in left ventricle filling caused by immediate cord clamping; (3) prevent initial hypoxemia because of sustained uteroplacental gas exchange after birth when the cord is intact. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the efficacy of intact cord resuscitation compared to immediate cord clamping on cardiorespiratory adaptation at birth in infants with isolated CDH. The Congenital Hernia Intact Cord (CHIC) trial is a prospective multicenter open-label randomized controlled trial in two balanced parallel groups. Participants are randomized either immediate cord clamping (the cord will be clamped within the first 15 s after birth) or to intact cord resuscitation group (umbilical cord will be kept intact during the first part of the resuscitation). The primary end-point is the number of infants with APGAR score <4 at 1 min or <7 at 5 min. One hundred eighty participants are expected for this trial. To our knowledge, CHIC is the first study randomized controlled trial evaluating intact cord resuscitation on newborn infant with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Better cardiorespiratory adaptation is expected when the resuscitation maneuvers are started while the cord is still connected to the placenta.

ImportanceAmong preterm newborns undergoing resuscitation, delayed cord clamping for 60 seconds is associated with reduced mortality compared with early clamping. However, the effects of longer durations of cord clamping with respiratory support are unknown.ObjectiveTo determine whether resuscitating preterm newborns while keeping the placental circulation intact and clamping the cord after a long delay would improve outcomes compared with umbilical cord milking.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis randomized clinical trial (PCI Trial) was conducted at 8 Italian neonatal intensive care units from April 2016 through February 2023 and enrolled preterm newborns born between 23 weeks 0 days and 29 weeks 6 days of gestation from singleton pregnancies.InterventionsEnrolled newborns were randomly allocated to receive at-birth resuscitation with intact placental circulation for 180 seconds or umbilical cord milking followed by an early cord clamping (within 20 seconds of life).Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome was the composite end point of death, grade 3 to 4 intraventricular hemorrhage, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia at 36 weeks of postconception age. Prespecified secondary end points were the single components of the composite primary outcome. An intention-to-treat analysis was conducted.ResultsOf 212 mother-newborn dyads who were randomized, 209 (median [IQR] gestational age, 27 [26-28] weeks; median [IQR] birth weight, 900 [700-1070] g) were enrolled in the intention-to-treat population; 105 were randomized to the placental circulation intact group, and 104 were randomized to the cord milking group. The composite outcome of death, grade 3 to 4 intraventricular hemorrhage, or bronchopulmonary dysplasia occurred in 35 of 105 newborns (33%) in the placental circulation intact group vs 39 of 104 newborns (38%) in the cord milking group (odds ratio, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.47-1.47; P = .53).Conclusions and RelevanceIn a randomized clinical trial of preterm newborns at 23 to 29 weeks’ gestational age, intact placental resuscitation for 3 minutes did not lower the composite outcome of death, grade 3 to 4 intraventricular hemorrhage, or bronchopulmonary dysplasia compared with umbilical cord milking.Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02671305

The body of literature supporting different umbilical management strategies has increased over the past decade as the role of cord management in neonatal transition is realized. Multiple international governing bodies endorse delayed cord clamping, and this practice is now widely accepted by obstetricians and neonatologists. Although term and preterm neonates benefit in some ways from delayed cord clamping, additional research on variations in this practice, including resuscitation with an intact cord, aim to find the optimal cord management practice that reduces mortality and major morbidities.

Some previous studies reported a benefit to cardiopulmonary transition at birth when starting resuscitation maneuvers while the cord was still intact for a short period of time. However, the best timing for umbilical cord clamping in this condition is unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the duration of effective umbilico–placental circulation able to promote cardiorespiratory adaptation at birth during intact cord resuscitation. Umbilico–placental blood flow and vascular resistances were measured in an experimental neonatal lamb model. After a C-section delivery, the lambs were resuscitated ventilated for 1 h while the cord was intact. The maximum and mean umbilico–placental blood flow were respectively 230 ± 75 and 160 ± 12 mL·min−1 during the 1 h course of the experiment. However, umbilico–placental blood flow decreased and vascular resistance increased significantly 40 min after birth (p < 0.05). These results suggest that significant cardiorespiratory support can be provided by sustained placental circulation for at least 1 h during intact cord resuscitation.

We use a case of intact cord resuscitation to argue for the beneficial effects of an enhanced blood volume from placental transfusion for newborns needing resuscitation. We propose that intact cord resuscitation supports the process of physiologic neonatal transition, especially for many of those newborns appearing moribund. Transfer of the residual blood in the placenta provides the neonate with valuable access to otherwise lost blood volume while changing from placental respiration to breathing air. Our hypothesis is that the enhanced blood flow from placental transfusion initiates mechanical and chemical forces that directly, and indirectly through the vagus nerve, cause vasodilatation in the lung. Pulmonary vascular resistance is thereby reduced and facilitates the important increased entry of blood into the alveolar capillaries before breathing commences. In the presented case, enhanced perfusion to the brain by way of an intact cord likely led to regained consciousness, initiation of breathing, and return of tone and reflexes minutes after birth. Paramount to our hypothesis is the importance of keeping the umbilical cord circulation intact during the first several minutes of life to accommodate physiologic neonatal transition for all newborns and especially for those most compromised infants.

Premature and full-term infants are at high risk of morbidities such as intraventricular hemorrhage or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The sickest infants at birth are the most likely to die and or develop intraventricular hemorrhage. Delayed cord clamping has been shown to reduce these morbidities, but is currently not provided to those infants that need immediate resuscitation. This review will discuss recently published and ongoing or planned clinical trials involving neonatal resuscitation while the newborn is still attached to the umbilical cord. We will discuss the implications on neonatal management and delivery room care should this method become standard practice. We will review previous and ongoing trials that provided respiratory support compared to no support. Lastly, we will discuss the implications of implementing routine resuscitation support outside of a research setting.

The initial bedside care of premature babies with an intact cord has been shown to reduce mortality; there is evidence that resuscitation of term babies with an intact cord may also improve outcomes. This process has been facilitated by the development of bedside resuscitation surfaces. These new devices are unaffordable, however, in most of sub-Saharan Africa, where 42% of the world’s 2.4 million annual newborn deaths occur. This paper describes the rationale and design of BabySaver, an innovative low-cost mobile resuscitation unit, which was developed iteratively over five years in a collaboration between the Sanyu Africa Research Institute (SAfRI) in Uganda and the University of Liverpool in the UK. The final BabySaver design comprises two compartments; a tray to provide a firm resuscitation surface, and a base to store resuscitation equipment. The design was formed while considering contextual factors, using the views of individual women from the community served by the local hospitals, medical staff, and skilled birth attendants in both Uganda and the UK.

Background: Monochorionic (MC) twins are at risk for severe twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) or twin anemia-polycythemia sequence (TAPS). In the case of preterm delivery, cesarean section (CS) with immediate umbilical cord clamping (ICC) of both twins is usually performed. While the recipient is at risk for polycythemia and may benefit from ICC, this procedure may result in aggravation of anemia with increased morbidity in the anemic donor. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that the novel approach of selective extrauterine placental perfusion (EPP) with delayed umbilical cord clamping (DCC) in the donor infant is feasible in neonatal resuscitation of MC twins and may prevent severe anemia in donor and polycythemia in the recipient. Methods: Preterm MC twins with antenatal suspected severe anemia of the donor as measured by Doppler ultrasound, born with birthweights < 1500 g by CS, were transferred to the neonatal resuscitation unit with placenta and intact umbilical cords. In the donor, the umbilical cord was left intact to provide DCC with parallel respiratory support (EPP approach), while the cord of the recipient was clamped immediately after identification. Results: Selective EPP was performed in three cases of MC twins with TAPS and acute peripartum TTTS. All donor twins had initial hemoglobin levels ≥ 13.0 g/dL, and none of them required red blood cell transfusion on the first day after birth. Conclusions: Selective EPP may be a feasible strategy for neonatal resuscitation of MC preterm twins with high stage TAPS and TTTS to prevent anemia-related morbidities and may improve infant outcome.

La naissance est une période à risque qui met en jeux de multiples mécanismes qui permettent une transition de la vie fœtale et la vie extra-utérine. Chaque année, dans les conséquences d'une mauvaise adaptation à la vie extra-utérine et la persistance de résistances vasculaires pulmonaires trop élevées, 1 million de nouveau-né décède dans les 24 premières heures de vie. Dix pourcents des nouveau-nés requièrent une assistance médicale en salle de naissance. Le clampage du cordon ombilical retardé entre 60 et 180 secondes après la naissance est désormais recommandé pour toutes les situations où le nouveau-né, à terme comme prématuré, s'adapte bien à son nouvel environnement diminuant entre autres, le risque d'anémie ferriprive des premiers mois de vie. La hernie de coupole diaphragmatique (HCD) est une malformation cardio-pulmonaire secondaire à un défaut de fermeture du muscle diaphragmatique. Elle entraine une mortalité élevée et responsable d'un trouble de l'adaptation à la vie extra-utérine. Dans les situations de réanimation en salle de naissance, du fait du manque de données physiologiques et cliniques, il n'est pas encore recommandé de maintenir les échanges fœto-placentaires en parallèle de l'initiation de la réanimation. Dans ce travail de thèse, nous posons l'hypothèse que le placenta puisse participer à l'oxygénation et à la décarboxylation du nouveau-né le temps que la circulation cardio-pulmonaire du nouveau-né se mette en place. Le but de ce travail est d'étudier la physiologie de l'hémodynamique et des échanges gazeux transplacentaires lors d'une réanimation à cordon intact (RCI) dans un modèle d'agneau sain et dans un modèle d'agneau porteur de hernie diaphragmatique. Les objectifs étaient (1) de présenter l'étude clinique « CHIC » évaluant l'impact de la RCI chez le nouveau-né porteur de HCD, (2) mettre en place le modèle expérimental d'agneau HCD, (3) explorer la faisabilité et la durée maximale d'une réanimation à cordon intact chez l'agneau, (4) étudier l'évolution de l'hémodynamique et des échanges gazeux transplacentaires au cours d'une RCI dans un modèle d'agneau sain et porteur d'une HCD. Nous avons démontré que l'hémodynamique fœto-placentaire pouvait était stable (débits veineux ombilicaux, résistances vasculaire transplacentaires) jusque 1 heure après la mise en place d'une RCI. Dans un modèle d'agneau hernie diaphragmatique, où l'échangeur pulmonaire ne permet pas d'assurer normalement une augmentation rapide de la pression partielle artérielle en oxygène (PaO2), le placenta permettait d'assurer une oxygénation et une décarboxylation tout au long de la réanimation avec un apport en oxygène par le placenta stable pendant 1 heure (2,7 [2,2-3,3] ml/kg/min). A l'inverse, dans un modèle physiologique, le maintien d'une circulation placentaire est associé à une diminution de la pression artérielle systémique de l'ordre de 20% comparée au groupe hernie diaphragmatique (p<0,05). L'augmentation de la PaO2 dans ce groupe est associée avec une diminution des apports en oxygène par le placenta. Le clampage du cordon entraine dans ce groupe une élévation de la PaO2 et une diminution de la capnie. L'ensemble de ces travaux apporte une base physiologique essentielle à la pratique d'une réanimation à cordon intact et souligne l'importance de stratégies de réanimation individualisées en fonction des conditions cliniques spécifiques
Birth is a critical period during which numerous mechanisms are engaged to enable the transition from fetal to extrauterine life. Each year, due to poor adaptation to this transition and the persistence of elevated pulmonary vascular resistance, 1 million newborns die within the first 24 hours of life. Ten percent of newborns require medical assistance in the delivery room. Delayed umbilical cord clamping, between 60 and 180 seconds after birth, is now recommended in all situations where the newborn, whether full-term or premature, adapts well to the new environment. This practice notably reduces the risk of iron deficiency anemia in the first months of life.Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a cardiopulmonary malformation caused by a defect in the closure of the diaphragm, leading to high mortality and impairing adaptation to extrauterine life. In delivery room resuscitation scenarios, the lack of physiological and clinical data has not yet allowed for the recommendation of maintaining feto-placental circulation alongside the initiation of resuscitation.In this thesis, we hypothesize that the placenta could contribute to oxygenation and decarboxylation of the newborn until the cardio-pulmonary circulation is established. The aim of this work is to study the physiology of hemodynamics and transplacental gas exchange during intact cord resuscitation (ICR) in a healthy lamb model and in a lamb model with CDH. The specific objectives were: (1) to present the clinical study “CHIC” evaluating the impact of ICR in newborns with CDH; (2) to establish an experimental lamb model of congenital diaphragmatic hernia; (3) to explore the feasibility and maximum duration of intact cord resuscitation in this model; and (4) to study the evolution of hemodynamics and transplacental gas exchange during ICR in both healthy and CDH lamb models.We demonstrated that feto-placental hemodynamics (umbilical venous flow, transplacental vascular resistance) remained stable up to one hour after the initiation of ICR. In the lamb model with diaphragmatic hernia, where the pulmonary exchange system cannot adequately increase arterial partial oxygen pressure (PaO2), the placenta provided sufficient oxygenation and decarboxylation throughout the resuscitation, with stable placental oxygen delivery for one hour (2.7 [2.2-3.3] ml/kg/min). Conversely, in the physiological model, maintaining placental circulation was associated with a 20% decrease in systemic arterial pressure compared to the CDH group (p<0.05). The increase in PaO2 in this group was associated with a decrease in placental oxygen delivery. Cord clamping in this group led to an increase in PaO2 and a decrease in carbon dioxide levels. These findings provide an essential physiological basis for the practice of intact cord resuscitation and highlight the importance of individualized resuscitation strategies based on specific clinical conditions

Accidental hypothermia (AH) is an unexpected drop of core temperature below 35°C, classified as mild (32°C–35°C), moderate (28°C–32°C) or severe (<28°C), with a spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from signs of cold adaptation (e.g., shivering) to progressive loss of consciousness and hypothermic cardiac arrest (CA). With appropriate measures of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, external rewarming, and internal extracorporeal life support (ECLS) rewarming in properly selected patients, the prognosis of hypothermic CA is remarkably good, with reported neurologically intact survival greater than 70%. This chapter presents two illustrative cases of AH with opposite outcomes and discusses the numerous challenges in the management of severely hypothermic patients, with a specific insight into the role of extracorporeal rewarming in this setting.

Abstract Pancreatitis usually presents with sudden onset of upper abdominal pain radiating through to the back and associated with nausea and vomiting. The history of recurrent hospital admissions coupled with a heavy alcohol intake should make you think of acute pancreatitis as a possible diagnosis. All patients presenting with upper abdominal pain should have their serum amylase checked to exclude acute pancreatitis. Having established that the airway is not blocked and putting an oxygen mask on the patient to assist breathing (remember ill patients need oxygen), venous access is established using a wide bore cannula and blood drawn for baseline FBC and biochemistry. IV fluid resuscitation should begin while a full assessment of the patient takes place.

A core attribute of the anaesthetist is the ability to communicate effectively in a variety of difficult situations and contexts. During the course of a theatre list the anaesthetist may interact with literally dozens of people—surgeons, patients, nurses, wardspeople, radiographers, trainees, and so on. Many will be complete strangers while others may be old friends, or enemies! Virtually all of them will have some part, be it big or small, to play in achieving a safe and successful outcome for patients. Operating theatres are often busy, stressful places. Events can unfold quickly and in unpredictable ways. Tension is frequently an integral part of the process of undertaking surgical procedures. Observational studies demonstrate that communication errors are common, and result in tension, delay, and wastage— as borne out by everyday experience. There is a tendency to view communication breakdowns as an inevitable fact of theatre life. However, evidence shows that behaviours and attitudes can be altered. Improving teamwork and communication improves morale and has the potential to improve patient outcomes. Most anaesthetists view themselves as good communicators, able to deal with virtually all communication problems, yet breakdown in communication is commonly cited as a root cause of medical error. Interestingly most anaesthetists feel that their training in communication has been adequate and do not seek further education in communication skills despite the evidence that poor communication leads to adverse events. Much of what follows is generic to all interactions with co-workers, and some aspects are of particular significance to particular disciplines. The evidence would indicate that everyone needs to improve their communication skills for the benefit of patients, and this chapter is written with the intention of providing tools to do this. The relationship between anaesthetist and surgeon is unique in medicine. In no other context, except possibly in the resuscitation room, do two or more specialists, from different disciplines, spend extended periods of time simultaneously treating a single patient. The quality of this relationship has important repercussions for patient safety and outcome, professional job satisfaction and the maintenance of good team-work in the theatre environment.