Rare cause of jaundice in a term newborn

Abstract

Neonatal jaundice is a frequently observed occurrence in full-term newborns and typically manifests between 48 and 96 hours following birth. Early-onset jaundice is primarily induced by pathological factors, namely sepsis, hemolysis and an excessive accumulation of bilirubin resulting from the breakdown of red blood cells.We present a case involving a full-term newborn with an uneventful perinatal history, who exhibited jaundice within the initial day of life and was subsequently admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit to commence intensive phototherapy. Initial screenings for sepsis and blood group incompatibility yielded negative results. However, despite 6 hours of phototherapy, the bilirubin levels did not decrease, prompting an investigation into central nervous system haemorrhage, which uncovered the presence of a haemorrhagic stroke.After a worsening in neurological status with neonatal crisis and need for phenobarbital, a life-saving craniotomy was performed. Clinical evolution was good with no additional crisis detected after the early neonatal period and improvement in motor function at 2-month-old follow-up.

Keywords: Jaundice; Neonatal and paediatric intensive care; Neonatal intensive care; Stroke.