Unilateral Skin Vessel Crises in the Newborn

Abstract

Summary The causal mechanism of two types of cerebral birth injury – hemorrhages and the hypoxemic ganglion cell lesions – is discussed in connection with four cases of unilateral skin vessel crises in infants during the first months of life. At birth and during the initial postnatal period all the infants had been in a state of universal cyanosis, but, with one exception, they did not present any signs of a brain lesion. Within a period of 4 to 28 days after birth sudden attacks of severe pallor or redness occurred all over one half of the body, with sharp delimitation in the median line. The author has not been able to find similar observations in the literature. It is thought to be due to minor brain lesions occurring during delivery and located in or near the supraseg‐mental autonomic centres in the medulla or the hypothalamus.

Asymmetric sweating and flushing in infants with esophageal atresia

“…The pattern of flushing and sweating involving the entire half of the body (cases 2 and 3) strongly suggests that the asymmetry must occur at the level of the central nervous system [4,10]. The mechanism involved remains conjectural, but the precise distribution of the color suggests an imbalance in the central nervous system similar to the less stable heat-regulating mechanism of the premature infants [4].…”

“…The mechanism involved remains conjectural, but the precise distribution of the color suggests an imbalance in the central nervous system similar to the less stable heat-regulating mechanism of the premature infants [4]. Actually, the infants described by Herlitz [10] had a subnormal body temperature. In addition, one of his cases presented bouts of high fever without demonstrable causes [10].…”

“…Actually, the infants described by Herlitz [10] had a subnormal body temperature. In addition, one of his cases presented bouts of high fever without demonstrable causes [10]. These episodes are quite similar to the attacks of fever presented by present patients.…”