Surgical procedures performed in the neonatal intensive care unit on critically ill neonates: feasibility and safety

Transferring unstable, ill neonates to and from the operating room carries significant risks and can lead to morbidity. We report on our experience in performing certain procedures in critically ill neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We examined the feasibility and safety of such an approach.

All surgical procedures performed in the the NICU between January 1999 and December 2005 were analyzed in terms of demographic data, diagnosis, preoperative stability of the patient, procedures performed, complications and outcome. Operations were performed at bedside in the NICU in critically ill, unstable neonates who needed emergency surgery, in neonates of very low birth weight (<1000 g) and in neonates on special equipment like high frequency ventilators and nitrous oxide.

Thirty-seven surgical procedures were performed including 12 laparotomies, bowel resections and stomies, 7 repairs of congenital diaphragmatic hernias, 4 ligations of patent ductus arteriosus, and various others. Birthweights ranged between 850 g and 3500 g (mean, 2000 g). Gestational age ranged between 25 to 42 weeks (mean, 33 weeks). Age at surgery was between 1 to 30 days (mean, 10 days). Preoperatively, 19 patients (51.3%) were on inotropic support and all were intubated and mechanically ventilated. There was no mortality related to surgical procedures. Postoperatively, one patient developed wound infection and disruption.

Performing major surgical procedures in the the NICU is both feasible and safe. It is useful in very low birth weight, critically ill neonates who have a definite risk attached to transfer to the operating room. No special area is needed in the the NICU to perform complication-free surgery, but designing an operating room within the the NICU would be ideal.