Massive Amniotic Fluid Aspiration in a Case of Sudden Neonatal Death With Severe Hypoplasia of the Retrotrapezoid/Parafacial Respiratory Group

Overview

Journal Front Pediatr

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2019 Apr 26

PMID 31019904

Citations 5

Authors

Anna M Lavezzi

Antonella Poloniato

Rosanna Rovelli

Laura Lorioli

Gabriela Alejandra Iasi

Teresa Pusiol

Graziano Barera

Stefano Ferrero

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

We report a case of a baby, who, after pregnancy complicated by maternal Addison's disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis and natural delivery, unexpectedly presented a cardiorespiratory collapse and died 1 hour after birth without responding to prolonged neonatal resuscitation maneuvers. The cause of death was reliably established by carrying out a forensic postmortem examination. More specifically, the histological examination of the lungs showed the presence of abundant endoalveolar and endobronchial cornea scales caused by absorption of amniotic fluid. The neuropathological examination of the brainstem highlighted severe hypodevelopment of the retrotrapezoid/parafacial respiratory group, which is a complex of neurons located in the caudal pons that is involved in respiratory rhythm coordination, especially expiration, in conditions of enhanced respiratory drive, as well as in chemoreception. This neuropathological finding shed new light on the mechanisms underlying the massive amniotic fluid aspiration which led to this early death.

Citing Articles

New Step in Understanding the Pathogenetic Mechanism of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Involvement of the Pontine Reticular Gigantocellular Nucleus.

Lavezzi A, Mehboob R, Piscioli F, Pusiol T Int J Mol Sci. 2024; 25(13).

PMID: 39000030 PMC: 11241803. DOI: 10.3390/ijms25136920.

NBCe1-B/C-knockout mice exhibit an impaired respiratory response and an enhanced renal response to metabolic acidosis.

Brady C, Marshall A, Zhang C, Parker M Front Physiol. 2023; 14:1201034.

PMID: 37405134 PMC: 10315466. DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1201034.

Involvement of the Superior Colliculus in SIDS Pathogenesis.

Lavezzi A, Mehboob R, Piscioli F, Pusiol T Biomedicines. 2023; 11(6).

PMID: 37371784 PMC: 10295940. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11061689.

Altered Development of Mesencephalic Dopaminergic Neurons in SIDS: New Insights into Understanding Sudden Infant Death Pathogenesis.

Lavezzi A Biomedicines. 2021; 9(11).

PMID: 34829763 PMC: 8615170. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111534.

The Mesencephalic Periaqueductal Gray, a Further Structure Involved in Breathing Failure Underlying Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Lavezzi A, Mehboob R ASN Neuro. 2021; 13:17590914211048260.

PMID: 34623930 PMC: 8642109. DOI: 10.1177/17590914211048260.

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