Neonatal Hypertension

THE use of an umbilical-artery catheter for diagnostic and therapeutic management of the critically ill neonate is a specifically indicated, well accepted procedure.1 The complications include thrombosis, embolism, hemorrhage and infection, and approach 10 per cent.1 Renal artery thrombosis as a complication has been documented in eight autopsied cases.2 3 4 5 We report aortic and renal-artery thrombosis causing renin-mediated hypertension in a newborn who underwent umbilical-artery catheterization.Case ReportA 4700-g female was delivered spontaneously following a 38-week gestation to a 34-year-old insulin-dependent diabetic mother. Apgar scores were 7 and 9, respectively. At age 36 hours, because of respiratory distress an umbilical . . .