Case Study
Myah Armstrong
Little Myah Armstrong was born at 9am on the 27th December 2014. She was
initially well and spent the first 24 hours on the postnatal ward with
her Mum, Emily and Dad, Ashley. This was Emily & Ashley's second baby
and Myah brought untold joy to the family. During the first day of life
however Myah was not feeding very well and one of the midwives noticed
that she was a dusky colour. A check of Myah's oxygen saturation revealed
that she was not delivering as much oxygen as normal and so an urgent
paediatric review was undertaken by her paediatrician Dr Patrick Ho.
Dr Ho quickly ascertained that Myah had a significant congenital cardiac disorder and would require transfer and management at a children's hospital with paediatric cardiology services. Dr Ho called NETS. Every doctor in NSW that looks after children knows the hotline number for NETS - it is one number that solves all problems for clinicians dealing with sick infants and children - one phone call leads to clinical advice, a team to transfer with stabilisation and movement of these children as necessary.
As is routine, the NETS coordinator promptly connected Dr Ho to a NETS' consultant and subsequently to a Neonatologist at the Children's Hospital at Westmead. A NETS team was tasked to travel urgently in a NETS ambulance to Hornsby Hospital to assist Dr Ho in the clinical stabilisation of Myah's condition and optimisation of her care. This was a very stressful time for Emily and Ashley. The NETS team consisted of a neonatal specialist, Dr Ahmed Moustafa and neonatal specialist nurse, Nicole Low who arrived and immediately assisted with mechanically helping Myah to breath and increase her oxygen levels.
Following this they teleconferenced with the neonatal specialist at the Children's Hospital at Westmead and a decision was made to commence a specialised drug not available outside of tertiary hospitals (Prostin) to maintain Myah in a fetal state of circulation so that she could be moved safely. Following this intervention by the NETS team, Myah improved and was moved to the Grace Centre for Newborn Care in a much improved condition than when the midwife initially detected her as having a problem.
Myah was subsequently diagnosed with Pulmonary Atresia requiring an interventional cardiology procedure and recovered well.
Dr Ho quickly ascertained that Myah had a significant congenital cardiac disorder and would require transfer and management at a children's hospital with paediatric cardiology services. Dr Ho called NETS. Every doctor in NSW that looks after children knows the hotline number for NETS - it is one number that solves all problems for clinicians dealing with sick infants and children - one phone call leads to clinical advice, a team to transfer with stabilisation and movement of these children as necessary.
As is routine, the NETS coordinator promptly connected Dr Ho to a NETS' consultant and subsequently to a Neonatologist at the Children's Hospital at Westmead. A NETS team was tasked to travel urgently in a NETS ambulance to Hornsby Hospital to assist Dr Ho in the clinical stabilisation of Myah's condition and optimisation of her care. This was a very stressful time for Emily and Ashley. The NETS team consisted of a neonatal specialist, Dr Ahmed Moustafa and neonatal specialist nurse, Nicole Low who arrived and immediately assisted with mechanically helping Myah to breath and increase her oxygen levels.
Following this they teleconferenced with the neonatal specialist at the Children's Hospital at Westmead and a decision was made to commence a specialised drug not available outside of tertiary hospitals (Prostin) to maintain Myah in a fetal state of circulation so that she could be moved safely. Following this intervention by the NETS team, Myah improved and was moved to the Grace Centre for Newborn Care in a much improved condition than when the midwife initially detected her as having a problem.
Myah was subsequently diagnosed with Pulmonary Atresia requiring an interventional cardiology procedure and recovered well.
She is now about to celebrate her 1st birthday - happy and healthy.
Another happy ending in which NETS played a vital part.
Another happy ending in which NETS played a vital part.