Síndrome de aspiración meconial

Abstract

Meconium aspiration syndrome is one of the most se- vere neonatal respiratory complications. It is a com- plex and multifactorial entity. It involves factors such

as mechanical obstruction due to the presence of meconium in the airway, dysfunction and inactivation

of the surfactant, pulmonary inflammation or chemi- cal pneumonitis, pulmonary apoptosis and persistent

pulmonary hypertension. These factors make difficult the adaptation to extrauterine life and cause a severe and life-threatening cardiorespiratory instability. The current incidence of meconium aspiration syndrome has modified the recommendations on birth care, and

its broad clinical picture requires nurses trained in pa- thology and specialized care.

The article describes the nursing interventions priori- tized at birth, during the transfer and in the neonatal

intensive care unit with the objective of reducing the associated morbidity and mortality and improving the quality of care, according to current recommendations with the available scientific evidence, the starting point for them.