The importance of autopsy after failed delivery room resuscitation
- 1Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- 2Department of Pediatric Anesthesia, Children's Hospital of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Correspondence to Professor Thomas M Berger, Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital of Lucerne, Lucerne CH-6000, Switzerland; thomas.berger{at}luks.ch
- Received 9 September 2012
- Revised 30 October 2012
- Accepted 3 January 2013
- Published Online First 24 January 2013
This female infant was born at 34 weeks of gestation by spontaneous vaginal delivery following increasing polyhydramnios and premature rupture of membranes. At 22 weeks of gestation, a left-sided diaphragmatic hernia with minimal mediastinal shift and a favourable head-to-lung ratio had been diagnosed. After delivery, following a short period of bag-mask ventilation with apparently appropriate chest excursions, oro-tracheal intubation was performed without difficulty by a senior neonatologist. When no chest excursions were visible despite high inspiratory pressures, endotracheal tube malposition was assumed and bag-mask ventilation was restarted. Although chest movements were again noted, the infant's …
