Efficacy and safety of endotracheal instillation of iloprost for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn

Objective: To determine the efficacy and safety of endotracheal instillation of iloprost as a rescue therapy for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. Methods: Neonates diagnosed with persistent pulmonary hypertension who were unresponsive to standard treatment protocol applied for persistent pulmonary hypertension in our unit, and who were being followed up with mechanical ventilation, were included in the study. Iloprost was instilled endotracheally as a rescue treatment. Systolic pulmonary artery pressure, oxygen saturation index, mean airway pressure, fraction of inspired oxygen, preductal and postductal venous oxygen saturation, heart rate, and blood pressure were recorded before and after 30 minutes of endotracheal iloprost instillation. Adverse events after endotracheal iloprost were recorded. Results: Twenty neonates were included. The median gestational age and birth weight were found to be 37 (30.5-38) weeks and 2975 (2125-3437.5) grams, respectively. When compared to the period before endotracheal iloprost instillation, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, oxygen saturation index, mean airway pressure, and fraction of inspired oxygen values significantly decreased (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.021, p = 0.001, respectively), whereas preductal and postductal oxygen saturation values significantly increased 30 minutes after the endotracheal iloprost instillation (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences in heart rate and blood pressure values before and after the iloprost administration. No adverse events were observed. Conclusion: Endotracheal instillation of iloprost was found to be an effective and safe therapy for persistent pulmonary hypertension unresponsive to conventional treatment.

Internet of Things in the Bathroom: Smart Health-Monitoring Bidet System

The Internet of things (IoT) helps our everyday lives such as by monitoring objects and tracking behaviors in various settings, but studies on enhancing the bathroom experience are rare. This article describes full details about development and implementation of a smart health-monitoring bidet based on our study published previously in the conference. A smart bidet system is designed to monitor the users’ health through several contact-type sensors, such as pressure, oxygen, and thermometer. The system is equipped with a built-in artificial intelligence software platform and is designed to detect anal and spinal diseases. The attached sensors normally operate under waterproof conditions: we tested their performances under X6 international protection marking conditions. These devices were designed to operate properly even in extremely waterproof conditions. The temperature, pressure, and oxygen sensors of the bidet system had error rates of about 4.1, 0.6, and 1.1 percent, respectively.