Introduction: Congenital heart defects (CHD) were the most common birth defects, and the most common cause of death in infants with congenital anomalies in developed countries. Early detection of these anomalies would greatly enhance the effect of therapeutic procedures and the final outcome. Lately, pulse oximetry (PO) is used for the purpose of screening the cyanotic congenital heart defects. PO in combination with the clinical examination has greater diagnostic sensitivity in detection of CHD. Objective: Application of PO screening in combination with a novel clinical examination methodology of cardiovascular system in neonate towards earlier detection of CHD. Patients and methods: Study included newborn children in Bihac Cantonal Hospital in the year 2012. The sample included 1,865 children. A total of 29 children with congenital heart disease was diagnosed during the neonatal period. Conclusion: Modern algorithm for early detection can significantly improve the diagnosis of congenital heart anomalies. Early detection allows optimal care for these children. This concept is simple, inexpensive and reproducible in most maternity wards.
Key words: newborn, congenital heart defects, pulse oximetry.
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