children s health issues
Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn
Treatment
Supplemental oxygen Sometimes a ventilator Sometimes nitric oxide gas Sometimes extracorporeal membrane oxygenation Treatment of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn involves placing newborns in an environment with 100% oxygen. In severe cases, a Mechanical Ventilation (a machine that helps air get in and out of the lungs) may be needed and may be used to provide 100% oxygen. A high percentage of oxygen in the blood helps widen the arteries going to the lungs. A very small concentration of the gas nitric oxide may be added to the oxygen that the newborn is breathing. Inhaled nitric oxide widens the arteries in the newborn’s lungs and reduces pulmonary hypertension. This treatment may be needed for several days. Rarely, if all other treatments do not work, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be used. In this procedure, blood from the newborn is circulated through a machine that adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide and then returns the blood to the newborn. The machine acts as an artificial set of lungs for the newborn. As the machine does the work of getting oxygen into the newborn's body, the newborn's lungs have time to rest and the blood vessels slowly widen. ECMO has been lifesaving, allowing some newborns with pulmonary hypertension who do not respond to other treatments to survive until the pulmonary hypertension resolves. Fluids and other treatments, such as antibiotics for an infection, are given as needed. 