AirShieldsC2000Isolette

Product Of The Month

Air Shields Isolette C2000 Premature Baby Incubator

Babies born prematurely are not fully developed & therefore need to be in an environment where the temperature is closely controlled. A Premature Baby Incubator such as the Air Shields C2000 Isolette helps maintain the body temperature at a constant level.

By Mark Callaghan

Overview

Babies have difficulty in maintaining a stable body temperature due to them having a large surface area to body mass ratio. This is especially the case with premature babies. These babies have a reduced amount of body fat which results in less insulation, & less energy reserves to generate heat. Nursing the baby in a Premature Baby Incubator helps the baby utilise its energy to gain weight & grow. The babies require close observation & some of these babies may be surgical babies or babies with breathing difficulties & as they are undressed an Incubator will keep them warm. The Incubator also acts as a mini isolation cubicle which prevents the spread of infection from baby to baby, & also protects premature babies with immature immune systems from infection.

Most babies admitted to the Neonatal Unit are nursed in a Premature Baby Incubator. The Incubator consists of a clear Perspex chamber resting on a base which provides support for the mattress onto which the baby is placed. A large hatch allows access to the chamber to permit placement of the baby in the Incubator. Portholes are present that allow the caregiver access to the baby. Smaller holes are also present to permit equipment leads etc to pass through. The area beneath the Perspex chamber contains the control panel, behind which are the control electronics. This whole assembly rests on a stand whose height may be altered to suit.

Babies born before the end of 30 weeks of pregnancy have thin water permeable skin, & therefore cool rapidly as water evaporates through it. These babies are nursed for the first two weeks of their life, until their skin has thickened & matured, with humidity present in the incubator.

Use

The Incubator is set up to deliver a suitable temperature. After a period of equilibrium to allow the temperature to stabilize the baby can be placed on the mattress tray inside the incubator. This tray can be moved/tilted within specified levels to facilitate care of the baby.

Where are they found?

Premature Baby Incubators are found in critical neonatal care areas of the Trust like the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit together with the Children’s Intensive Care Unit.

How it works

The temperature within the Incubator needs to be maintained within specified levels. This is achieved by means of a heating element which is servo (feedback) controlled by the electronic control circuitry. The input to this circuitry is a temperature reading obtained by one of two means – either from a temperature sensor inside the incubator, in which case the incubator is said to operate in “Air mode”. Alternatively the temperature reading of the baby may be obtained from a skin temperature sensor, in this case operation being in “Skin mode”. This allows control of the heating element to be achieved by switching it on & off periodically to control the temperature. The heated air is circulated around inside the Incubator by an impellor circulation fan to allow for an even distribution of heat.

The control panel consists of an Electro-Luminescent (EL) Display together with control switches that allow the mode of operation (Air or Skin mode) to be selected together with the desired temperature. If the temperature detected falls outside of the set temperature range an alarm is triggered to alert the user. The display on the control panel can show a trend reading of the temperature over a given period of time.

Humidity is achieved by a store of sterile water which evaporates due to air flow over a heating element. A humidity sensor measures the level of humidity within the cabinet & displays it on the EL Display.

The level of oxygen inside the Incubator is controlled by feeding oxygen in at varying flow rates to control the oxygen concentration. This oxygen level is measured by internal oxygen sensors & can be displayed on the EL Display.

Weighing of the baby may be performed. This is achieved by load cells underneath the mattress that convert the weight into a voltage which is processed & displayed on the EL Display.

Like to know more?

This is a specialist device & staff using it will have undertaken extensive in-house training on the product. For any technical advice or issues concerning the Air Shields C2000 Isolette Incubator contact MESU on 43559.

MESU Maintenance Fact File

Replacement Cost: £7,000
Maintenance Requirements: Filters are changed every 3 months. An annual service is performed involving a full functional and calibration check to verify the performance of the heating system, the humidifier system, the oxygen monitoring system, the weighing system & the internal noise levels. A general verification of all other functions is performed.
Common Problems: Catches & hinges can break due to constant use – these need replacing straight away to prevent air leakage from the chamber. The use of water other than sterile water will result in humidification problems.
Users should ensure that appropriate routine maintenance has been performed (check service stickers)