Practical Procedures

Hi there, My neonatology attending asked me to ligate a baby's preauricular skin tag. She acts like it's no big deal. I don't feel comfortable with doing this non-urgent procedure that could easily be taken care of as an outpatient with a plastic surgeon. It's on the baby's face and minimal scarring would be ideal. My question is: how do other units manage the cosmetic aspect of a baby with a preauricular skin tag? Do you take care of it while the baby is in the unit or discharge the baby to have them follow up somewhere as an outpatient? Do you ligate extra digets?

We are changing to Hudson prongs for CPAP delivery and will be following the Vermont Oxford technique of securing them to a knit cap using safety pins and elastic bands. Some staff members have concerns about using safety pins. This method has been used for several years and in many institutions, so I'm hoping that someone can respond with their experience. Has anyone had any problems with infant injury using safety pins on the CPAP cap? Thanks.

hi all Which PLA (peripheral arterial line) do you use to take blood sample for premature (EVLBW)? How do you insert it and you take care? Thanks

Please does anyone have any guidance on what size syringe should be used to test the placement of oro/nasogastric tubes in neonates? Within our NICU we have differing practices- some use 2ml and others 10ml syringes but I have not had any luck in locating evidence to support practice. Thanks!

Hi netters Someone has experience with Blanketrol and would share with us the settings of the device for cooling and rewarming? Thank you very much

We are planning to replace our single lumen UVCs with double lumen UVCs in premature infants less than 800 grams. We plan to use these double lumen UVCs mainly for TPN and drug infusions. Is it safe from the infection point of view to use them for transfusion of packed cells and plasma?

Should the common practice of "hand carry" of newborns to the warming table be changed perhaps to... the OB or delivering practitioner placing the newborn in an awaiting bassinette prepped with a sterile drape and then rolled over to the warming table? What are your thoughts? We are seriously looking into this as an accident just waiting to happen.

Does anybody please tell me what is the ideal xray parameters for a good neonatal xray......?:

Hello! Could anybody share with me your protocol of umbilical blood sampling in delivery room, if you do it routinely? I wonder what do you check – lactate, pH or any other, in arterial or venous blood. What is your interpretation? What part of umbilical cord do you use? Is it important – the time after cutting the cord? We want to improve this procedure in our clinic. Thank you very much. Daria

Greetings to all, I hope no one minds but this question is a bit more obstetrical in nature and if nothing else someone may be able to point me in a more apprpriate direction. I am curious if anyone is using scalp lactate values rather than, or in conjunction with scalp ph, for fetal surveillance? In particular I am seeking out groups that are using the LactatePro handheld analyzer for this purpose. I have been collecting data for some time now and am considering research possibilities for the future. One of the stumbling blocks I am confronted with is putting together an acceptable quality assurance program for this point of care (POCT) analyzer. Would anyone w…