DP is an occasional complication of cardiac surgery. High incidences of DP were seen after arterial switch operation, Fontan procedure and Blalock-Taussig shunt (BT). Respiratory insufficiency requires diaphragmatic plication in most infants with DP whereas older children may tolerate DP. Transthoracic diaphragmatic plication is an effective treatment of DP and achieves relief of respiratory insufficiency in most patients. Spontaneous recovery from postsurgical DP is rare.

Delayed clamping of the umbilical cord improves cerebral oxygenation in preterm infants in the first 24 hours.

Based on our study results cerebral tissue oxygenation readings by the NIRO 300 near-infrared spectrometer is influenced by central venous oxygen saturation, which partially explains intersubject variability of NIRS cerebral oxygenation readings.

The large range and the poor agreement of cerebral oxygenation values between the two oximeters makes it difficult to define a normal value. Cerebral oxygenation readings by these monitors, based on one single point measurement during anaesthesia, should be viewed with caution. Actually, there may be little indication for routine use of such monitoring during general anaesthesia.

Somatostatin is a therapeutic option for treatment of chylothorax and could reduce surgical intervention and hospitalization time, as well as allow earlier enteral feeding.

most of the system changes were based on minor critical incidents which were often detected only after a longer period of time. This shows the value of our "low-threshold" critical incident monitoring. Repeated checks along the drug delivery process (prescription, preparation, administration) are an important means to reduce adverse drug events.

The prognostic significance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the neonatal period was studied prospectively in 43 term infants with perinatal asphyxia. MRI was performed between 1 and 14 days after birth with a high field system (2.35 Tesla). Neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed by a standardized neurological examination and the Griffiths developmental test at a mean age of 18.9 months. The predictive value of the various MRI patterns was as follows: Severe diffuse brain injury (pattern AII+III; n = 7) and lesions of thalamus and basal ganglia (pattern C; n = 5) were strongly associated with poor outcome and greatly reduced head growth. Mild diffuse brain injury (pattern AI; n = 7), parasagittal lesions (B; n = 7), periventricular hyperintensity (D; n = 2), focal brain necrosis and hemorrhage (E; n = 3) and periventricular hypointense stripes (on T2-weighted images; F; n = 3) led in one third of the infants to minor neurological disturbances and mild developmental delay. Infants with normal MRI findings (G; n = 9) developed normally with the exception of one infant who was mildly delayed at 18 months. The results indicate that MRI examination during the first two weeks of life is of prognostic significance in term infants suffering from perinatal asphyxia. Severe hypoxic-ischemic brain lesions were associated highly significantly with poor neuro-developmental outcome, whereas infants with inconspicuous MRI developed normally.

Syringe pump design affects start-up delay times because of free play of the syringe. These delays can be eliminated by a start-up bolus of 2 ml prior to connecting the infusion line to the patient.