Over 50 anaesthetists came together for the ‘Crisis Management in Neonate Workshop-2019’ organised by the Department of Paediatric Anaesthesia at Niloufer Hospital here on Sunday where lectures were held on handling crisis while operating or providing medical treatment to newborns.
Equipment used for intravenous (IV) supply of blood or fluids was demonstrated at the workshop. This was with regard to instances where neonates lose a large amount of blood or fluids during illness and their veins are not visible, which is called a state of shock. “Veins have to be spotted to start the IV supply. Besides, anxious family members often bring their newborns, who, they say, are not breathing. The role of doctors, including paediatricians, neonatologists and anaesthetists, in resolving such airways crisis was discussed too,” said A. Muralidhar, organising secretary of the workshop.
Challenges involved
Professor of anaesthesia at the government hospital, P.V. Shiva said mannequins were used to explain how to find veins to start an IV line. The super specialists said they have to put in more efforts in treating newborns with congenital deformities as their body parts could be abnormal — an enlarged neck or head, for example.
Pointing to the picture of a neonate with a huge lump in mouth, Dr Shiva said providing intubation to such patients becomes difficult.
Supporting neonates, who have such complications, with mechanical ventilator was explained next.
The concepts were demonstrated to anaesthetists who do not specialise in providing treatment to children. Apart from super specialists from the government hospital, medical students and specialists from private hospitals also participated in the workshop.
Anaesthetists demonstrating how to handle neonatal crisis situations during a workshop at Niloufer Hospital in Hyderabad on Sunday. K.V.S. Giri
New courses plea
Every year, around 7,000 newborns and children are operated upon at the Niloufer Hospital — quite a high number. Doctors at the hospital said patients with rare complications are brought to them for treatment and over 20 surgeries are performed in a day. Dr Shiva said they have requested the Director of Medical Education (DME) to start a super speciality course in Paediatric Anaesthesia so that there will be more doctors to focus on this sub-branch of medicine.
