Abstract
A review of 47 surgically sick newborns transported by our general surgery team in 1982, is presented and primary prehospital care is discussed. These 47 transferred newborns (during the first 28 days of life) accounts for 65% of 72 newborns entered into oure surgical wards, 35% of 136 newborns admitted to out neonatal intensive care units, and 22% of 209 cases transferred by our hospital-based ambulance. Forty-five of these 47 eases were less than 7 days of age and 39 cases (83%) were referred directly from obstetricians. About half of them were transported before 8: 30 or after 16: 30, so 24-hours-a-day transport service is required. In 47 referrals, 28 cases had undergone emergenncy operations within 6 hours after hospitalization, and 12 cases were operated upon electively. Almost all of them showed acute abdominal conditions or obvious malformations and were transported without trouble by simple means, such as placing a gastric tube and being kept under optimal thermal environment. But in only a few cases (Bochdalek hernia and gastric rupture), cardio-pulmonary critical care was needed. It must be mentioned that the transportation of surgically-ill newborn by pediatric surgeons has some benefits for making an early diagnosis and supplying optimal preoperative care for the early stage of surgical conditions.
