The Incubator

Latest Episodes:

#447 - [Neo News] - 📌 - Why Are Doctors Flocking to HBO Max's The Pitt? Jun 12, 2026

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In this episode of Neo News, Ben and Eli discuss the cultural phenomenon of HBO Max’s new hit medical drama, The Pitt. Sparked by an insightful critique in The New Yorker by Dr. Dhruv Khullar, they dive into why this Noah Wyle-led series is capturing the attention of millions of Americans, including healthcare workers and patients alike. They explore how the show’s unflinching portrayal of systemic failures, from ER overcrowding to uninsured patients leaving against medical advice, mirrors their daily reality in the hospital. Tune in as they discuss whether the shared humanity seen on screen can bridge the gap between doctors and patients or simply highlight the exhausting "pit" of modern medicine!

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The Pitt: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-lede/what-the-pitt-taught-me-about-being-a-doctor

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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#447 - [Journal Club] - 📌 Is a Five-Day Antibiotic Course Enough to Treat UTIs in the NICU? Jun 11, 2026

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Is five days of antibiotics enough to treat a urinary tract infection in a NICU infant? In this Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review a single-center study from Nationwide Children's Hospital examining adherence and safety of a five-day antibiotic treatment guideline for culture and urinalysis-proven UTIs in the NICU. Among 77 infants with 93 bacterial UTIs, the five-day course was associated with a 1% failure rate, defined as reinitiation of antibiotics within seven days for the same organism. The episode also explores the potential role of enteral antibiotic therapy and what shorter treatment courses could mean for babies still weeks away from discharge.

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Urinary tract infection in the neonatal intensive care unit. Magers J, Burton A, Prusakov P, White NO, Miller RR, Moraille R, Theile AR, Sánchez PJ; Nationwide Children’s Hospital Neonatal Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (NEO-ASP).J Perinatol. 2026 May;46(5):754-760. doi: 10.1038/s41372-026-02690-1. Epub 2026 Apr 29.PMID: 42056240 Free PMC article.

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#447 - [Journal Club] - 📌 Does Extended CPAP Reduce Intermittent Hypoxemia in Stable Preterm Infants? Jun 10, 2026

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What happens to intermittent hypoxemia when you keep a stable preterm infant on CPAP for two extra weeks? In this Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review a secondary analysis from the Journal of Pediatrics by Mamidi and McEvoy. Among 95 infants randomized to either two additional weeks of bubble CPAP on room air or discontinued CPAP, those in the extended CPAP group experienced significantly fewer intermittent hypoxemia episodes (57.6 versus 151.7), higher baseline saturations, and greater functional residual capacity. The episode also touches on the practical implications for units navigating oral feeding protocols alongside extended CPAP.

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Extended Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in Infants Born Preterm Decreases Intermittent Hypoxemia: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Mamidi RR, Go MDA, Harris J, Olson M, Milner K, Tepper RS, Morris C, Park B, Schelonka R, MacDonald KD, McEvoy CT.J Pediatr. 2026 May 25:115165. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2026.115165. Online ahead of print.PMID: 42190903

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#447 - [Journal Club] - 📌 Are we missing UTIs in neonates hospitalized for unexplained jaundice? Jun 09, 2026

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In this Journal Club episode, Daphna reviews a retrospective cohort study from Istanbul examining clinical, laboratory, and ultrasound factors associated with UTI in neonates hospitalized for unexplained hyperbilirubinemia. Among 96 term and near-term infants, 31% had culture-proven UTIs, a striking prevalence. Pathological renal ultrasound findings were independently associated with UTI, with affected neonates 4.6 times more likely to have a concurrent infection. Notably, standard laboratory markers including CRP and white blood cell count failed to distinguish UTI-positive from UTI-negative infants. The findings prompt a practical question: should urine culture be part of the routine workup for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia?

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Renal ultrasonography findings are associated with urinary tract infection in neonates with asymptomatic hyperbilirubinemia. Sarı EE, Salihoğlu Ö.J Perinatol. 2026 Apr 13. doi: 10.1038/s41372-026-02686-x. Online ahead of print.PMID: 41975209

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#447 - [Journal Club] - 📌 Is phototherapy doing more harm than good in very preterm infants? Jun 08, 2026

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In this Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review a nationwide Swedish cohort study examining the association between phototherapy duration and neonatal outcomes in very preterm infants (22 to 31 weeks). The study’s primary outcome, late neonatal mortality on days 8 to 27, was not significantly associated with phototherapy duration. However, longer phototherapy exposure was associated with increased odds of severe neonatal morbidity, including IVH and BPD, in infants born at 26 to 31 weeks. The findings prompt an important conversation about the near-universal use of phototherapy in preterm neonates and whether current practice warrants reassessment.

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Phototherapy, Morbidity, and Mortality in Very Preterm Newborns. Deschmann E, Håkansson S, Söderling J, Norman M.JAMA Netw Open. 2026 May 1;9(5):e2614107. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.14107.PMID: 42166159 Free PMC article.

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#446 - Is Bedside Transcatheter PDA Closure Ready for Your NICU? Jun 01, 2026

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What if closing a PDA could be done at the bedside in under 10 minutes, without transporting a fragile preterm infant to the cath lab? Dr. Shyam Sathanandam, Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at Nicklaus Children's Heart Institute, joins us to discuss the evolution of transcatheter PDA closure in extremely preterm infants. We cover how bedside procedures protect the most vulnerable neonates, which infants are most likely to benefit from closure, the learning curve and complication profile, and Dr. Sathanandam's vision of eventually training neonatologists to perform this procedure themselves.

Dr. Shyam Sathanandam has consulting and compensation relationships with Abbott Laboratories and Medtronic, both relevant to topics discussed in this episode.

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#445 - 📑 Journal Club - The Complete Episode from May 30th 2026 May 30, 2026

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Opioid withdrawal dosing, intranasal breast milk, human milk fortification in Japan, neonatal dysphagia, and vaccine policy. A full week on the Incubator Journal Club.

Ben opens with the Optimized NOW trial in JAMA: symptom-based dosing reduced time to medical readiness for discharge by nearly two and a half days in NOWS infants managed with Eat Sleep Console, and allowed 65% of pharmacologically treated infants to avoid scheduled opioids entirely.

Daphna reviews a small RCT out of Turkey showing improved cerebral oxygenation and favorable vital sign trends after intranasal breast milk administration in preterm infants, adding to the growing tolerability data for this intervention.

Ben then covers the JASMINE trial, a Phase 3 RCT in Japan showing significantly better weight gain velocity with an exclusive human milk diet in very low birth weight infants.

Daphna closes with a retrospective cohort study on FEES-confirmed dysphagia in preterm infants. Of those who met criteria for evaluation, every single one had laryngeal penetration and 57% were aspirating.

Ben and Eli close the week on the quiet dismantling of vaccine infrastructure in the US and what it means for the populations in your NICU.

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#445 - [Neo News] - 📌 Are Regulatory Roadblocks Threatening the Future of Neonatal Vaccines? May 29, 2026

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In this fast-paced episode of Neo News, Eli and Ben tackle the rapidly shifting landscape of vaccine regulation and economics in the US. They discuss recent political maneuvers surrounding the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) and how expanding liability could quietly push manufacturers out of the market entirely. The hosts also examine the FDA's recent hesitation to review Moderna’s new mRNA flu vaccine, highlighting how these administrative roadblocks threaten the financial viability of developing novel vaccines—including critical immunizations for pediatric and neonatal populations. Tune in for a sharp analysis of how top-down policy changes might reshape everyday clinical practice!

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1) https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5689850-kennedy-dismisses-vaccine-advisors/
2) https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/01/15/rfk-jr-vaccines-autism-vicp/
3) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/health/fda-moderna-flu-vaccine-mrna.html
4) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/health/rfk-vaccine-manufacturers.html

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#445 - [Journal Club] - 📌 Are we missing dysphagia in very preterm infants before they leave the NICU? May 28, 2026

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How often are we missing dysphagia in our most vulnerable NICU patients? In this episode of Journal Club, Daphna reviews a retrospective cohort study from the Journal of Perinatology examining the incidence and risk factors of dysphagia confirmed by flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) in very preterm and very low birth weight infants. Among infants showing persistent feeding difficulties at 38 weeks post-menstrual age, laryngeal penetration was detected in all infants who underwent FEES, and tracheal aspiration in nearly 60%. Ben and Daphna discuss whether we are naming dysphagia for what it is, whether earlier instrumental assessment could change outcomes, and what it means for families to finally understand why their baby is struggling to feed.

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Incidence and factors associated with dysphagia in infants born very preterm or very low birth weight. Reynolds J, Suterwala M, Desai S, Chiruvolu A.J Perinatol. 2026 Apr 29. doi: 10.1038/s41372-026-02701-1. Online ahead of print.PMID: 42056238

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#445 - What Can Japan Teach Us About Treating Human Milk Fortifier as a Drug? (Part 2) May 27, 2026

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What does it take to turn a single struggling baby into a national standard of care? In this episode, Ben sits down with Professor Katsumi Mizuno (Showa Medical University) and Dr. Melinda Elliott (Chief Medical Officer, Prolacta Bioscience) to discuss the landmark Jasmine Trial, the first randomized controlled trial of an exclusive human milk diet (EHMD) in Japan. The results: significantly better weight and length gain, fewer antibiotic days, and improved feeding tolerance in very preterm infants. After an eight-year regulatory journey, Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) granted Prolacta's human milk-based fortifier PreemieFort drug-level designation, a global first, ensuring equitable, nationally reimbursed access for every preterm infant in the country. The conversation also looks ahead to the Fuji Trial and what Japan's precedent-setting decision could mean for Europe and the US.

The guests joining us today have a direct financial or professional relationship with the topic being discussed in this episode. This may include employment, a consultant role, research funding relationship, or other ties to the company or product being reviewed.

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