Iatrogenic Lesions in Babies following Umbilical Vein Catheterization.

During a study of babies with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and of the effects of intravenous bicarbonate and laevulose on glycogen reserves of the newborn (Scott, 1965), it was found that 2 babies developed complications arising out of treatment. One had an umbilical vein thrombosis with large pulmonary embolus. The other developed umbilical sepsis with a thrombophlebitis and pyaemia. It was, therefore, decided to carry out a more detailed examination of the vein and its branches in all future cases coming to necropsy in order to investigate the significance of these findings.