Neonatal Encephalopathy and HIE - Bedside Clinical Proforma

1. Patient Demographics & Intrapartum History

  • Mother's Name: Mother's Name | Baby's Name: Baby of ...
  • Sex: Male / Female | Age: Hours / Days of Life | Gestation: Completed Weeks (≥35w for cooling)
  • Birth Weight: Grams (≥1800g for cooling) | Delivery Mode: Normal / Forceps / Vacuum / Emergency LSCS
  • Indication for Operative Delivery: Fetal bradycardia / Obstructed labor / Cord prolapse / Abruptio placentae
  • Amniotic Fluid: Clear / Meconium Stained (Thin / Thick pea-soup)

2. Objective Perinatal Asphyxia Criteria (AAP / ACOG)

  • Cord arterial blood gas: pH ... (≤7.00?) | Base Deficit: ... mmol/L (≥16 mmol/L?)
  • Apgar Scores: 1 min: ... | 5 min: ... (≤5?) | 10 min: ...
  • Duration of resuscitation required: Positive pressure ventilation ... mins | Chest compressions: ... mins
  • Time to first spontaneous cry / breath: ... minutes

3. Modified Sarnat Staging of HIE (Hour 1 to 6)

  • Category 1: Level of Consciousness: Hyperalert (Stage I) / Lethargic, Obtunded (Stage II) / Stupor, Coma (Stage III)
  • Category 2: Spontaneous Motor Activity: Normal, irritable / Decreased / Completely absent
  • Category 3: Muscle Tone: Normal, slightly increased / Generalized hypotonia / Flaccid
  • Category 4: Autonomic Function:
    • Pupils: Dilated, reactive (Sympathetic - Stage I) / Constricted, miosis (Parasympathetic - Stage II) / Fixed, dilated, skew (Stage III)
    • Heart rate: Tachycardia / Bradycardia / Variable
    • Respiration: Regular / Periodic, hypoventilation / Apnea requiring mechanical support
  • Category 5: Primitive Reflexes:
    • Sucking & Rooting: Exaggerated / Weak, sluggish / Completely absent
    • Moro reflex: Exaggerated / Incomplete, weak / Completely absent
  • Category 6: Neonatal Seizures:
    • Clinical Seizures: Absent (Stage I) / Present (Stage II) / Refractory or Decerebrate posturing (Stage III)
    • Seizure Semiology: Subtle (cycling, lip smacking, paroxysmal blinking) / Focal clonic / Multifocal / Tonic
  • Final Classification: Stage I (Mild) / Stage II (Moderate) / Stage III (Severe)

4. Therapeutic Hypothermia Protocol (Total Body Cooling)

  • Eligibility confirmed: Gestation ≥35w, Weight ≥1800g, Severe acidosis + Moderate/Severe Encephalopathy
  • Time of cooling initiation: ... hours of life (MANDATORY strictly within 6 hours!)
  • Cooling method: Servo-controlled total body cooling blanket / Phase changing material (PCM)
  • Target rectal core temperature: 33.5°C ± 0.5°C (Maintained strictly for 72 continuous hours)
  • Rewarming protocol: Started at 72 hours | Rate: 0.5°C every 2 hours over 10-12 hours
  • Complications of cooling monitored: Bradycardia, hypotension, thrombocytopenia, coagulopathy, subcutaneous fat necrosis

5. aEEG & Antiseizure Medication Management

  • Amplitude-Integrated EEG (aEEG) Background: Continuous normal / Discontinuous / Burst-suppression / Low voltage / Flat
  • First-Line Anticonvulsant: Inj. Phenobarbital 20 mg/kg IV infused over 20 mins | Additional bolus: 10-20 mg/kg
  • Second-Line (if refractory): Levetiracetam (40-60 mg/kg) / Fosphenytoin (20 mg PE/kg) / Midazolam infusion
  • Pyridoxine trial (100 mg IV): Performed / Not indicated

6. Multisystem Asphyxial Organ Damage Surveillance

  • Central Nervous System: Fontanelle tension / Cerebral edema / Cranial USG (RI of anterior cerebral artery: ...)
  • Renal System: Urine output: ... mL/kg/hour (Oliguria <1 mL/kg/h?) | Serum Creatinine: ... mg/dL | BUN: ... mg/dL
  • Cardiovascular System: BP: ... mmHg | Capillary refill: ... s | Serum Troponin-I: ... | Echo: Myocardial strain / PPHN
  • Hepatic System: Serum AST: ... IU/L | Serum ALT: ... IU/L | PT / INR: ...
  • Metabolic: Blood glucose (hypoglycemia?): ... mg/dL | Serum Calcium: ... mg/dL | Serum Sodium (SIADH?): ... mEq/L

7. Neuroimaging & Follow-Up Planning

  • Brain MRI timing: Optimal window Days 4 to 7 of life post-rewarming
  • MRI Sequences: DWI / ADC (acute cytotoxic edema) | T1/T2 (Loss of posterior limb of internal capsule - PLIC sign)
  • Hearing evaluation: Diagnostic BERA at 3 months
  • High-Risk Clinic follow-up: Amiel-Tison / DASII at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24 months