Epidemiological Characteristics of Neonates Transferred From General Hospital Pula To A Tertiary Pediatric Center In A Ten-Year-Period (2006-2015)

The goal of our study is to present epidemiological characteristics of neonates transferred from General Hospital Pula (GH Pula) to tertiary pediatric center in a ten-year-period. In our retrospective research we analized medical histories of neonates hospitalized at our Department from January 1st 2006 to December 31st 2015 and transferred to a tertiary pediatric center. There are about 1300-1500 live births in our hospital every year. In the ten-year-period 14266 neonates were born and 158 (1,1%) of them were transferred to a tertiary pediatric center. In forty-seven neonates (29,7%) had to be used mechanical ventilation during the transport. Thirty-two (20,3%) premature infants born before the 32nd gestational week were transferred to UHC. The reasons for transportation to a tertiary pediatric center were: congenital heart defects and rhytm abnormalities (N=41), respiratory problems (respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, neonatal meconium aspiration sindrome) (N=25), gastrointestinal disorders (N=21), disorders of central nervous system (N=15), disorders of hematological system (N=6), sepsis (N=7), perinatal asphyxia (N=3), disorders on extremities (N=1), metabolic disorders (N=2), chromosomopathies (N=), disorders of genital tract (N=2). Forty-one neonates were resuscitated after birth (25,9%). All premature infants born before the 32nd gestational week and all other premature neonates and term neonates that require long-term mechanical ventilation, specific diagnostic and therapeutic approach or surgical treatment are transferred to a tertiary pediatric center, using vehicles for ground transport with all the necessary equipment and with escort of our medical team.