Level 1, 2 and 3 Newborn and Premature Intensive Care
Newborn and Premature Intensive Care
The Newborn Intensive Care Unit of Şişli Kolan International Hospital gives the required support for all newborn babies with risky and serious diseases. In this unit, specially trained nurses, as well as neonatologists and pediatricians provide the respective services.
In addition to babies born in Şişli Kolan International Hospital and taken into a follow-up plan, the sick newborns born in other medical centers and transferred to our hospital are also treated in the Newborn Unit of Şişli Kolan International Hospital.
The Newborn Unit of Şişli Kolan International Hospital is organized in accordance with the respective criteria specified by the Ministry of Health in such way that each nurse takes care of three patients per hour under the supervision of a neonatologist (newborn specialist).
31 incubators (baby bed), 15 ventilators (breathing device), 1 transport incubator with ventilator, 31 monitors (screen for monitoring vital functions of babies), 10 phototherapy devices (device for jaundice treatment), and injectomat and infusion pumps used for drug and serum administrations are available in the Newborn Unit as modern technological equipments.
The Newborn Incentive Care Unit provides improved care services for babies under high risk, such as premature babies born after 24th week of gestation, babies from multiple pregnancies, babies of mothers with diabetes, babies swallowed meconium in the womb, or babies with damage in their brain or other organs due to a difficult delivery.
A pediatrician is on-site in Şişli Kolan International Hospital 24 hours a day. In said unit, ophthalmologic examinations (ROP), pediatric surgery operations for babies with esophageal and intestinal atresia and/or congenital lung problems requiring a surgical intervention, and cerebral surgery operations such as those for meningomyelocele (spina bifida) and hydrocephalus (water on the brain) are performed, and the required postoperative intensive care follow-up and treatments are provided.
Furthermore, babies with heart problems are subjected to ECG and examined in incubators, and accordingly, directed to a treatment approach by Pediatric Cardiologists. If and when necessary, expert radiologists carry out head and kidney ultrasounds in incubators.
Ventilator Treatment in Babies
Since newborns, especially premature babies, do not have mature lungs, such babies, in particular babies with respiratory distress are subjected to a ventilator (breathing device) treatment. In our hospital, the state-of-art ventilator devices are available, and experienced newborn doctors and nurses are responsible for use and follow-up thereof.
Follow-up of Perinatal Infections
Infection incidence in intensive care units never corresponds to zero. However, this incidence can be reduced to an insignificant level by means of very stringent precautions. Hospital infection incidence in our unit is very low thanks to entrance and exit controls, directives and recommendations of the Infection Control Committee of Hospital, as well as our principles of not touching babies unless necessary, of caring hand cleaning and using hand disinfectants when it is necessary to touch, and also, of using clean materials.
Feeding of Premature Babies
Feeding premature babies with mother milk is the most important and lifesaving approach in this respect. In severely preterm infants, nutrition problems are usually observed in addition to other kinds of problems. Nutrition problems in these infants are mainly resulted from developmental retardation of gastrointestinal tract, and many factors such as insufficient digestive enzymes and insufficient bowel movements also play part therein.
Term infants can suck and swallow right after the delivery. However, sucking reflex in premature infants does not start before 23rd week of gestation, and coordination thereof with swallowing reflex occurs by 34th week of gestation. Swallowing reflex develops earlier than sucking reflex, but development of coordinated swallowing movements is seen after development of sucking reflex. A full function of sucking and swallowing develops by the 34th week of gestation, and in some cases, by the 32nd week of gestation.
Due to the abovementioned reasons, we usually feed premature infants, especially those born prior to 34th week of gestation, with an oral tube (gavage). Feeding procedure is completed within the shortest time period possible by giving priority to mother milk.
Jaundice Treatment in Newborns
Jaundice can be dangerous for any newborn infant. In the Newborn Unit of Şişli Kolan International Hospital, every newborn baby is examined for risks regarding jaundice, and if necessary, treated accordingly. Jaundice is a condition that causes the skin and whites of the eyes to turn a yellow color due to increase of yellow substance called bilirubin in the body. Increased blood bilirubin levels results in a gradual yellow staining from head to feet. In severe cases, bilirubin passes into the brain, and leads to irreversible symptoms (such as cerebral palsy, deafness) called kernicterus therein.
Jaundice can be dangerous for any newborn infant. In the Newborn Unit of Şişli Kolan International Hospital, every newborn baby is examined for risks regarding jaundice, and if necessary, treated accordingly. Jaundice is a condition that causes the skin and whites of the eyes to turn a yellow color due to increase of yellow substance called bilirubin in the body. Increased blood bilirubin levels results in a gradual yellow staining from head to feet. In severe cases, bilirubin passes into the brain, and leads to irreversible symptoms (such as cerebral palsy, deafness) called kernicterus therein.
Feeding with mother milk should be started as soon as possible in all newborn infants. Mother milk should be frequently given to keep jaundice from getting worse. Sleeping periods exceeding 4 hours for the baby should not be allowed. If a food supplement is required, sugared water should be avoided, and a formula deemed appropriate by the doctor should be given.
Treatment of jaundice is easy and possible. Phototherapy is the most common treatment for jaundice. In this approach, the eyes of baby are taped to avoid any harm to eyes. Rarely, and mostly in the case of a blood incompatibility between mother and baby, a successful treatment of jaundice could be achieved by exchange transfusion procedure.
