TTo explore the clinical characteristics, hypothermia treatment process, and nursing points of 5 newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

The clinical data of neonates clinically diagnosed with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Peking University First Hospital from February 2019 to November 2021 were selected for this retrospective analysis. The newborns were treated with hypothermia.

A total of five newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy were included. Their gestational age ranged from 36⁺⁶ to 40⁺⁶ weeks, and their birth weight ranged from 2520 to 4010 g. Four cases were treated with therapeutic hypothermia within 6 hours after birth, and one newborn at 7 hours after birth. All the five children were treated with head+systemic hypothermia, which lasted 69.7 to 72.0 hours. Dynamic video electroencephalographic monitoring (VEEG) was conducted during hypothermia therapy. A total of 11 cases of epileptic state were observed during hypothermia therapy in one newborn, manifesting as excitation state and increased muscle tone and dozens of electrical seizures monitored by VEEG. No clinical seizures or electrical seizures were detected in the remaining three children. Four cases had stable condition after hypothermia treatment and were discharged 11 to 22 days after admission with good follow-up outcomes.

Therapeutic hypothermia is a preferred treatment for newborns with oxygen-ischemic encephalopathy. In the process of therapeutic hypothermia, doctors and nurses need to closely monitor the vital signs of the newborns, conduct VEEG monitoring, identify the attacks, and strengthen the observation and care of the complications such as bradycardia, hypotension, and hypoglycemia.