Recent Study Finds Benefits of ECMO during Therapeutic Hypothermia for Infants with HIE

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Babies with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) often experience respiratory problems. Because of this, they may require assistance with breathing after birth. This can be done through the urgent method of resuscitation, or the more long-term assistance of inhaled nitric acid, high-frequency ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) (1). These long-term practices are commonly used for neonates…

Recent Findings on the Association Between Placental Lesions and HIE

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Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a brain injury caused by insufficient oxygenated blood flow to the brain at or near the time of delivery. There are many potential causes of HIE, including high-risk pregnancy conditions, labor and delivery issues, and medical mistakes. Recent studies have sought to find connections between placental and umbilical cord issues and…

Researchers identify pregnancy conditions that increase the risk of neonatal hypoxia

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Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a type of newborn brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation during or around the time of birth, has been linked to a variety of pregnancy conditions. Inna Skarga-Bandurova and colleagues in the Ukraine recently published a study on risk factors for chronic fetal hypoxia (i.e. long-term oxygen deprivation). They analyzed data from…

New study finds neuroprotective benefits in resveratrol (RESV)

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Recent studies in rats indicate that resveratrol (RESV), a natural polyphenol compound, may be useful in minimizing brain damage from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Studies of resveratrol’s neurological benefits This study, published in November, showed the surprising neuroprotective benefits of resveratrol (1). In the study, 48 seven-day-old rats were broken up into four groups, all of…

Study of birth injury cases sheds light on medical errors responsible for cerebral palsy

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Cerebral palsy often stems from medical malpractice around the time of birth (making it a birth injury), and many parents choose to sue the doctors or hospitals that are responsible. Information collected from these legal cases could shed light on the types of medical errors most likely to contribute to a cerebral palsy diagnosis; however,…

New studies on Sildenafil treatment in babies with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)

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Sildenafil is the phosphodiesterase-V inhibitor more commonly known as Viagra (1). It has been successful in treating pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) because it increases blood pressure in the lungs. It has grown in usage and is now the major treatment option for PAH in babies, even though it is still used off-label and requires…

Piglets with Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Damage Benefit from Cannabidiol and Therapeutic Hypothermia

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Cannabidiol (CBD) is a component of the cannabis (marijuana) plant that serves a wide variety of medicinal purposes (the legality of CBD and other cannabis products varies by state). Importantly, cannabidiol has been shown to provide neuroprotection in animal models of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). HIE is a type of brain injury from oxygen deprivation. In…

Autonomic Function in Babies with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

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Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a type of birth injury stemming from oxygen deprivation during or around the time of birth. Babies with HIE have brain damage which often results in permanent health conditions and disabilities such as cerebral palsy. Although brain imaging and other diagnostic techniques can help medical professionals estimate the extent of damage,…

In Norway, Rates of Cerebral Palsy Decline as Perinatal Healthcare Improves

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Many cases of cerebral palsy (CP) are caused by complications that occur around the time of delivery (these are known as birth injuries). Based on this, Sandra Julsen Hollung and colleagues hypothesized that improvements in obstetrical and neonatal care could decrease the rate of cerebral palsy. Studying the Impact of Healthcare Standards on Cerebral Palsy…