Neonatal Jaundice

Addresses all aspects of jaundice in the newborn, including mechanisms, epidemiology and clinical diagnosis and a review of current therapeutic options.

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Jaundice is the most common abnormal physical sign found in the new-born infant. It occurs in around two-thirds of all normal babies in the first few days of life, and can lead to toxicity of the central nervous system. In the current era of cost containment, infants are leaving hospital much earlier and as bilirubin levels are rising at the time of discharge, physicians must now follow these infants as out-patients to make sure that severe jaundice does not occur.
Neonatal Jaundice is the first complete source of current information for all physicians interested in the care of the new-born infant. When and how hyperbilirubinemia should be treated is a matter of ongoing controversy and this text presents a reasoned clinical approach to the management of the jaundiced new-born. The editors clearly describe the mechanisms, epidemiology and clinical diagnosis of the condition and review the current therapeutic options which include exchange transfusion, phototherapy and pharmacologic treatment.