Transient tachypnea of the newborn

  • retained fetal lung fluid / wet-lung syndrome
  • normally fluid cleared from lungs at or immediately after birth by pulmonary lymphatics and capillaries
  • normal clearance delayed in this condition
  • seen post caesarean section, hypoproteinemia, hyponatremia, maternal fluid overload
  • seen in small hypotonic sedated infants with precipitous delivery
  • mild to moderate respiratory distress without cyanosis in first few hours
  • complete resolution in 48 hours
  • supportive oxygen and maintain body temperature
imaging
  • mild over inflation
  • prominent blood vessels
  • perihilar interstitial shadowing
  • fluid in transverse fissure
  • occasional small pleural effusion
  • mild cardiomegaly
  • asymmetrical with right side predominance
  • when severe mimics meconium aspiration syndrome and congenital neonatal pneumonia