About the RCH Neonatal Unit

The Neonatal Unit at the Royal Children's Hospital is a 24 bed, level 4, neonatal unit with approximately 550 admissions per year. Our patients are referred from level 3 perinatal centres both in Melbourne and interstate; maternity hospitals throughout Victoria, southern NSW and Tasmania; and our Emergency Department.

Our aimﾠis to improve the health outcomes for newborn babies by:

  • Providing the best neonatal care for the sickest babies in Victoria, interstate and internationally
  • Providing undergraduate and postgraduate education in medical, nursing and allied health disciplines
  • Initiating and conducting research to enhance the clinical care of our patients
  • Providing information, health promotion, resources, education and advocacy for the families of our patientsﾠ

Inpatient Clinical Services

Our Patients

Babies and infants admitted to the Neonatal Unit haveﾠa wide range of complex medical and surgical problems.ﾠThese include:

  • Severe respiratory failure, particularly that associated with cystic chronicﾠlung disease and/or pulmonary hypertension
  • Congenital diaphragmatic hernia
  • Tracheo-oesophageal fistula and oesophageal atresia
  • Pierre Robin Sequence
  • Gastroschisis and exomphalos
  • Necrotising enterocolitis
  • Prematureﾠbabies with cardiac anomalies
  • Hypoxic ischaemiac encephalopathy
  • Complex seizure disorders
  • Bronchiolitis
  • Meningitis
  • Complex genetic and metabolic conditions

Our Team

Theﾠmanagement ofﾠour babies is overseen byﾠa team of Neonatologists, Neonatal Nurses and Allied Health Specialists. The care of many of ourﾠbabies also involves extensive cooperation with the RCH's surgical teams (General, Thoracic, Cardiac, ENT, Plastic, Urological, Maxillo-facial, Neurosurgical) and sub-specialist paediatric teams (including Neurology, Gastoenterology & Nutrition, Cardiology, Nephrology, Endocrinology, Respiratory, Genetics, Metabolics).ﾠParticularly complex and/or long term patients are appointed a Care Manager to coordinate their care.

Many of the babies on the Neonatal Unit make use ofﾠthe range of diagnostic services provided by the RCH. Theseﾠinclude MRI, CT, digital angiography, fluoroscopy, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, laryngoscopy, electro-encephalography, echocardiography, complex metabolic and laboratory tests and cardiac catheterisation, many of which are unavailable at other hospitals.

Respiratory Support

The Neonatal Unit has the capacity to ventilate up to 14 babies. High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation (HFOV) is a highly sophisticated form of artificialﾠventilation in which very sick babies are ventilated at rates of up to 900 breaths per minute. We were the first neonatal intensive care unit in Australia to introduce this technology in 1992; theﾠresult of a careful and strategic research and training programme. We nowﾠhold an annual training course for other HFOV users in Australia and New Zealand.

We are the only neonatalﾠintensive care unit in the country that uses High Frequency Jet Ventilation (HFJV). This technology can be life saving for babies with the more severe forms of lung disease such as severeﾠcongenital diaphragmatic hernia, cystic chronic lung disease and other conditions with significant gas trapping.ﾠ

Vein of Galen Malformation

Together with our Interventional Radiology colleagues at the Royal Melbourne Hospital we have led the way in the management of a rare form of cerebral aneurysm called Vein of Galen Malformation.ﾠThus we have been able toﾠimprove survival and neuro-developmental outcomes to many babies who would otherwise have died or suffered severe brain injury.

Mandibular Distraction

Our Maxillofacial surgeons are performing jaw lengthening operations (mandibular distraction) for babies born withﾠairway obstruction due to a small jawﾠ(Pierre Robin Sequence). This surgery has produced stunningly successful outcomes and revolutionised the care of this condition. In Australia this operation is performed only at the Royal Children's Hospital.

Neurology and the Neonate

Together with our Neurology colleagues, we are developing and investigating the role of advanced MRI techniques in the management of our sickest babies. Our understanding of MRI findings allows us to better predict neuro-developmental outcome in congenital brain abnormalities and acquired brain injury.

We areﾠalso using amplitude-integrated Electro-Encephalography (aEEG) as an assessment tool in patients with suspected seizures and as a research tool.

Pain

Our nursing staff have pioneered research into the prevention and management of pain in babies; and have developed tools (Pain Assessment Tool) andﾠinterventions whichﾠare now being used in many other hospitals.

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Outpatients

Once discharged from the Neonatal Unit, babies are followed up either by their General Practitioner, Paediatrician or Neonatologist. Neonatologists see their patientsﾠin the Neonatal Outpatient Clinic, whichﾠis open Monday to Friday in the Neonatal Offices (3rd floor, North-West building). The clinic also accepts referrals from General Practitioners and Paediatricians.

For an appointment, phone (03) 9345 5008.

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Home Apnoea Monitoring

We provide a home apnoea monitoring service for babies who are at risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Babies can be referred for this service by their General Practitioner or Paediatrician. During an outpatient consultation, parents are taught how to use the Graseby MR10 monitor and are given instruction in resuscitation.

Costs:

  • Non-refundable hiring fee: $60.00ﾠ
  • Monthly rental: $40.00ﾠ
  • Leads: $8.00 eachﾠ(a lead usually lasts 2-4 weeks)

For enquiries or an appointment, phone (03) 9345 5008.

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Fundraising

The Neonatal Unit benefits from severalﾠfundraising activities and many parents choose to get involved in supportingﾠusﾠthrough attending and organising events.ﾠThere are many ways that parents, families and friends can get involved and the NeonatalﾠUnitﾠnewsletterﾠ"Neonatal News"ﾠ(published twice a year) is a great way to keep in touch with what is going on.ﾠ

Please direct your fundraising enquires to:

Donna Aranyi
Donor Development Manager
Royal Children's Hospital Foundation
Flemington Road
PARKVILLEﾠ VICﾠ 3052
ﾠ
+613 9345 4510
donna.aranyi@rch.org.au
ﾠ
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Neonatal Newsletter "Neonatal News"

Previous Issuesﾠ

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Feedback

We would be interested in receiving feedback from parents and relatives regarding the current content of this page, as well as suggestions for future updates. To provide feedback, email neonatal.webpage@rch.org.au

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Last Updated 18-Feb-2010. Authorised by: Peter McDougall. Enquiries: Amanda Moody.
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Warning: This website and the information it contains is not intended as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified practitioner.