Iatrogenic skin injury in the neonatal intensive care unit
Abstract
Although neonatal care has become more and more meticulous with significant changes in technology in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in the past 50 years, iatrogenic cutaneous injuries continue to occur. Although the incidence of severe injuries is decreasing because the more difficult procedures are being replaced by improved techniques, skin injuries have not yet been completely eliminated. However, the nature and causes of cutaneous injuries have changed, and the injuries are frequent but generally minor. The major risk factors are low birth weight, gestational age, length of stay, a central venous line, mechanical ventilation, and support with continuous positive airway pressure. The rate of iatrogenic events is about 57% at gestational ages of 24-27 weeks, compared with 3% at term. There are no current comprehensive reviews of iatrogenic cutaneous injury. The purpose of this review is to describe the iatrogenic cutaneous injuries that may occur in the newborns as a consequence of perinatal and postnatal medical procedures. With increased survival of extremely-low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants and changing modes of management in the NICU, neonatologists must make every effort to recognize injuries and prevent their occurrence in the NICU.
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Current monitoring systems can cause iatrogenic skin injuries including adhesive-related tears, burns, infections, or pressure sores, leading to long-term morbidity.
“These systems can also cause iatrogenic skin injuries including adhesive-related tears, burns, infections, or pressure sores, leading to long-term morbidity. 3”
From Advanced wireless monitoring for children in the cardiac perioperative setting (2023) · cites this paper as [3]
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- Authors
- Sardesai, S. R., Kornacka, M. K., Walas, W., & Ramanathan, R.
- Affiliations
- University of Southern California (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sardesai, Smeeta R.
- Venue
- The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2010-06-14
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 197-203
- ISSN
- 1476-4954 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-7058
- OpenAlex
- W2099799641
- Cited by
- 73
- References
- 82
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 0.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › Neonatal skin health care
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Development and Preterm Care
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Pediatric Pain Management Techniques
- Keywords
- neonatal intensive care, extremely low birth weight infants, central venous catheters, mechanical ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure, low birth weight, gestational age, neonatal procedures, skin damage prevention
- MeSH terms
- Burns, Cicatrix, Humans, Iatrogenic Disease, Infant, Newborn, Intensive Care Units, Neonatal, Scalp, Skin, Skin Diseases, Intensive Care, Neonatal, Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight
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