Free Essay Example - Parenchymal Lung Disease Associated With Meconium Aspiration

Purpose Statement

At the end of one's statement, the audience will be able to understand the complications that arise from the diagnosis of Parenchymal Lung Disease associated with meconium Aspiration and how it increases the risk of causing Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in infants. The audience will also understand the pathophysiology of how the complications arise and how it is managed.

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Thesis Statement

Infants tend to be at a higher risk of developing Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension. The disease contains severe complications that can be managed by various health teams that include the nurses and Respiratory Therapist.

Introduction

Did one know that the disease presents itself with difficulty in breathing in infants due to meconium aspiration, thus leading to the risk of causing Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension? The disease occurs when the lung vessels do not open wide enough, thus leading to limited blood flow and oxygen supply, thus causing the baby to be cyanosed. Did one also know that, in order for one to manage the disease, it includes; optimal oxygen supplementation, blood pressure monitoring and stabilization, sedation, and avoiding of metabolic and respiratory acidosis and antibiotics to treat sepsis.

Interest/Relevance

Complications.

Meconium causes pneumonitis and inactivation of the surfactant.

It will, therefore, lead to ventilation-perfusion mismatch and also resulting in a low concentration of oxygen in the blood, therefore, resulting in an abnormality elevation of carbon dioxide in the blood that tends to cause pulmonary vasoconstriction (Lakshminrusimha, & Keszler, 2015).

It causes a reduction in blood flow.

Meconium also contains components that form an inflammatory response that incite the release of cytokines that afterward releases vasoconstrictors, including thromboxane and endothelin. It will bring about the reduction of blood flow into the heart valves and arteries.

It leads to pneumonia and sepsis.

When meconium is aspirated by the infant, it will cause pneumonia and sepsis caused by elevated post-void residual associated with hypotension and also decreased Systematic Vascular Resistance. In contrast, some infants with sepsis develop myocardial dysfunction that leads to hypotension due to elevated atrial pressures (Lakshminrusimha, & Keszler, 2015).

Complication such as Respiratory Distress Syndrome may arise, it happens when the infant does not fully develop lungs and thus lead to a limited supply of blood to the brain and other parts of the body (Yokoi et al., 2019). It can cause the formation of diaphragmatic hernia, which is a defect that arises in the diaphragm separating the lower thorax and abdomen. It can lead to congenital abnormalities and disorders since the lungs and heart are underdeveloped; thus, limited supply of oxygen is carried out throughout the body, and thus some central parts of the body may fail, or the infant may be brain dead.

Role of Respiratory Therapist

The respiratory therapist performs oxygen therapy, conduct diagnostic tests that include measuring the infant's lung capacity, monitor the infant's progress, perform breathing treatments, humidity aerosol therapy on infants with the diagnosed disease.

The therapist also performs pulmonary drainage procedures, mechanical ventilation (Rhine et al., 2019). The respiratory therapists also perform chest physiotherapy on infants to remove secretions from their lungs and therefore facilitate easy breathing (Mathew & Lakshminrusimha, 2017)

Oxygenation process and blood sampling

Also, the respiratory therapists insert a tube and connect the infants to the ventilator; this is to enhance easy breathing and also aid the infant in breathing the right oxygen and likewise at the correct state.

Respiratory therapists take blood samples of infants with diagnosed disease and use blood gas analyzers to test carbon dioxide and oxygen levels.

Nurses role

The nurse should enhance the infant's ability to breathe by ensuring a warm environment, delay bath, prevent agitation, and also the provision of glucose. It will aid in decreasing oxygen requirements and keep the infant calm (Mathew & Lakshminrusimha, 2017). The nurse should also ensure that the airway is secured and continually monitor the oxygen saturations, vital signs and correspondingly ensure that the infant is responding well to the drugs (Rhine et al., 2019). The nurse should conduct an assessment to ensure that there are no adverse drug reactions or paralysis. The nurse should conduct eye care in order to prevent corneal abrasions, suctioning in order to clear secretions, position changing to improve skincare and bedsores (Mathew & Lakshminrusimha, 2017).

The nurse should also accurately document the infant's health status, oxygen saturation changes, and also the blood gas results. The nurse should work in partnership with other health teams that includes doctors, respiratory therapists to ensure that the baby is managed well and effectively and also reduce errors that include risks of pulmonary leaks and early detection and treatment of new diseases that tend to endanger the infant's life. According to the Jacksonville Analysis Fl, steroids improved respiratory infections in infants such as Dexamethasone also aids in neurodevelopment among infants (Nath et al., 2019). Also, the steroids improved respiratory status in infants.

Conclusion

The disease, despite its severity, can be managed by health teams that include nurses and respiratory therapists. The nurse documents the infant's vitals, ensuring that the infant is exclusively fed and also given medical care and drugs that include steroids. The respiratory therapists perform chest physiotherapy and removal of secretions to ensure that the infants breathe with ease.

The complications that arise due to the disease in infants can be managed by working together with the health management teams, which include nurses and Respiratory Therapists.

With this information, the rising complications of the disease can be managed effectively, and also the teaming up of health teams will help manage the infant in the right way and enable one to single out other arising complications or also avoid and treat nosocomial infections.

References

Lakshminrusimha, S., & Keszler, M. (2015). Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. Neoreviews, 16(12), 680-692. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277362399_Persistent_pulmonary_hypertension_of_the_newborn

Mathew, B., & Lakshminrusimha, S. (2017). Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn. Children, 4(8), 63. DOI: 10.3390/children4080063

Nath, S., Reynolds, A. M., Lakshminrusimha, S., Ma, C., Hudak, M. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2019). Retrospective analysis of short-term respiratory outcomes of three different steroids used in clinical practice in intubated preterm infants. American Journal of Perinatology. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0039-1694004

Rhine, W. D., Suzuki, S., Potenziano, J. L., Escalante, S., & Togari, H. (2019). An analysis of time to improvement in oxygenation in Japanese preterm and late preterm or term neonates with hypoxic respiratory failure and pulmonary hypertension. Clinical Therapeutics, 41(5), 910-919. DOI: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2019.03.008

Yokoi, K., Iwata, O., Kobayashi, S., Muramatsu, K., & Goto, H. (2019). Influence of foetal inflammation on the development of meconium aspiration syndrome in term neonates with meconium-stained amniotic fluid. PeerJ, 7, e7049. https://peerj.com/articles/7049/?utm_source=TrendMD&utm_campaign=PeerJ_TrendMD_1&utm_medium=TrendMD