Case Discussion
Clinical teaching and practical ideas for your next study session.
When a 28-Week Preterm Infant Needs More Oxygen: Is the PDA Really Driving the Deterioration?
At 21 days, a 28-week infant with rising oxygen needs, a continuous murmur, and pulmonary congestion may have a hemodynamically important PDA—but the murmur is not the diagnosis. This case discussion shows how to separate ductal pulmonary overcirculation from sepsis, evolving lung disease, and pulmonary hypertension, then use echocardiography together with the clinical picture to judge whether closure is likely to help.
The Plethoric, Jaundiced Newborn: Hypoglycemia, Hyperviscosity, and Bilirubin Risk
A board-focused case discussion of early neonatal jaundice with hypoglycemia and polycythemia, emphasizing parallel stabilization, differential diagnosis, and escalation decisions.
The Febrile 6-Week-Old Who Looks Sick: Sepsis, Shock, and the Limits of “Low Risk”
A practical case discussion on recognizing shock in a febrile young infant, avoiding inappropriate low-risk pathways, and choosing empiric therapy when meningitis is possible.