Assessing pupil reaction to light using ultrasound in a sick neonate with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy

J Neonatal Perinatal Med. 2020;13(4):459-461. doi: 10.3233/NPM-190394.

Abstract

Examining pupil reaction to light is an important component of the neurological examination in infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) to determine eligibility for therapeutic hypothermia (TH) and as part of serial neurological assessment for prognostication. Pupil examination can be challenging in critically ill infants with generalized edema. In this paper I report a simple technique using bedside point of care ultrasound to examine the pupil reaction to light in an infant with moderate HIE undergoing therapeutic hypothermia.

MeSH terms

  • Eligibility Determination / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypothermia, Induced / methods*
  • Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain* / diagnosis
  • Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain* / physiopathology
  • Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain* / therapy
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Neurologic Examination* / instrumentation
  • Neurologic Examination* / methods
  • Prognosis
  • Reflex, Pupillary*
  • Ultrasonography / methods*