Marek Kozár, Katarína Maťašová, Lucia Nandrážiová, Peter Bánovčin
Perinatal asphyxia is an unfavorable condition of different etiology, defined mainly by the development of severe fetal
and neonatal metabolic acidosis. Perinatal asphyxia results into hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), one of the
most frequent cause of neonatal morbidity and severe neurodevelopmental sequelae. Early identification of HIE and
correct indication for therapeutic hypothermia is important for therapeutical success and improvement of patients outcome.
Up to now, therapeutic hypothermia is the only recommended neuroprotective method in management of HIE.
Other neuroprotective modalities (drugs, stem cells) are still in the stage of experimental and clinical studies.