All issues > Volume 12(2); 1969

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1969;12(2):91-98. Published online February 28, 1969.

Clinical Observation of Neonatal Tetanus

Yung Jo Kwon¹, Jin Young Choi¹, Jai Sum Chang¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Total 68 cases of the patients of neonatal tetanus were clinically devaluated, who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Hospital during the 8 year and 8 months period from Jan. 1959 to Aug. 1967. The results were as follows. 1)The 29 cases out of the total 68 cases were died and the mortality rate was 42.6%. 2)High incidence of the male than the female was revealed and its ratio was 3.1 : 1. The incidence of neonatal tetanus reached its peak on April and Sept, and it seems to be related to the numbers of delivery. 3)The mortality rate is reducing year by year. 4)Home delivery was a problem of the neonatal tetanus and we must keep in our mind that neonatal tetanus was also happed in the cases of delivery at the private clinics. 5)The majority of patients (60.3%) were 6 to 8 days of age on admission. The case fatality rate was above 57% in the patients up to 7 days o£ age on admission. 6)After the 6th or 7th hospital day, most of patients could be recovered. 7) Fever, muscular spasm with convulsion, and cyanosis revealed the poor prognosis. 8)The main complications of neonatal tetanus were the pulmonary complications which showed poor prognosis. 9)The causes of death were mainly respiratory spasm, pulmonary edema and respiratory center failure. 10)The mortality rate was high at night comparing with that of daytime and it needs continuous vigilence of doctors and nurses.

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