Asfixia perinatal: Repercussões neurológicas e detecção precoce

Abstract

Objective. To review the literature about perinatal asphyxia (PA), collecting information about injury mechanisms, consequences, possible neurological sequelae, and early identification. Method. Electronic search of the databases SciELO, BIREME, Medline, selecting 26 articles and three books. Results. The lack of consensus to define perinatal asphyxia justifies the difficulty to establish prevalence data. The current definitions are based on a combination of indicators and not only in low Apgar score. Its pathophysiology is based on hypoxic-ischemic injury, resulting in multiple organ failure and brain damage. The hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is the most serious consequence of perinatal asphyxia, which causes neurologic sequelae. The neonatal neurologic assessments assist in the detection of abnormalities, allowing early treatment and optimizing prognosis. However there are few studies that have used such evaluation methods in this population. Conclusion. The literature which addresses the theoretical concepts of the PA, such as diagnosis, risk factors and pathophysiology is much more extensive than the number of studies reporting its consequences.