NICU

Procedures and treatment

• Intravenous Line (IV)/Peripheral Intravenous Line
• PICC Line (Percutaneous Intravenous Central Catheter) A long thin line inserted through the baby's skin, usually into a vein in an arm or leg. It is passed through a blood vessel that goes deep into the baby's body. They are used to give IV fluids, IV nutrition and medications. They usually last longer than a regular peripheral IV).

Antibiotic Treatment Newborn infants may be treated with antibiotics (drugs that fight infection) when we think that a serious infection may be the reason why they are sick, either at the time they are admitted to the NICU, or later during their time in the newborn ICU.

Infants in the NICU sometimes need blood transfusions to correct anemia (too few red blood cells in the circulation) or low blood pressure that results from blood loss. This is done when the physicians think that the baby’s health or survival is in danger. Sometimes babies need transfusion of other blood products, called “platelets” or “plasma” to correct potentially dangerous bleeding problems.