Hypertension in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): A Case of Mid-Aortic Syndrome

A term baby was born with findings of edema, harsh murmur, and hypertension. Pregnancy course was complicated by hydrops fetalis. Upon birth, blood work did not reveal any abnormalities, but an echocardiogram showed patient in high-output heart failure. A computed tomography (CT) chest, abdomen, and pelvis revealed narrowing of aorta in the thoracic region to distal iliac and renal arteries, consistent with mid-aortic syndrome. Mid-aortic syndrome, which results in the narrowing of thoracic or abdominal aorta, is a rare cause of hypertension, especially in newborns. This case elucidates the importance of maintaining a broad differential when encountering an uncommon problem in a newborn.