Current Status of Regionalization for Surgical Newborns in a Limited Area (Aichi Prefecture) in Japan

Abstract

In order to clarify the current status of regionalization for surgical newborns, patients born in Aichi Prefecture from January to December 2000 were investigated using a questionnaire Two-hundred-and-twenty-two newborns were registered including 46 cases of imperforated anus, 22 cases of diaphragmatic hernia, 14 cases of esophageal atresia and so on. An antenatal diagnosis was made for 55 cases (241%). Of those, 6 cases were interrupted, 15 cases of diaphragmatic hernia were included, and 24 cases were followed by maternal transport The overall mortality was 10.4% Regionalization of neonatal surgery in this area has been completely established, and 92.4% of all cases were managed by pediatnc surgeons certified by the Japanese Society of Pediatnc Surgeons.