Transfer of the surgical neonate

Abstract

Neonatal surgery is increasingly delivered in regional or even supra-regional centres with the specific aim of improving short and long-term outcome for complex congenital conditions. This arrangement permits the concentration of a multidisciplinary team of experts equipped with the wide range of skills required to successfully manage the specific challenges posed by the newborn surgical patient. Neonatal intensive care for these patients may need to commence immediately after delivery or may be only required following surgical intervention. It is essential therefore that nurses and clinicians in units which may potentially receive surgical neonates have the appropriate competencies required for the initial stages of management. This chapter will discuss in utero transfer, the general principles of neonatal stabilisation prior to and during transfer, important principles of the transfer itself and condition specific considerations for common neonatal surgical conditions.