River Oaks Hospital recently began providing Mild Systematic Hypothermia (MSH) or total body cooling therapy to newborns affected with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a loss of oxygen at birth. Approximately one in every 1,000 babies suffers from this condition every year.
Clinical studies indicate therapeutic hypothermia, including whole-body cooling begun within six hours after birth, reduces brain injury associated with the hypoxic-ischemic exposure, minimizing or avoiding consequences that might otherwise include cerebral palsy or severe cognitive and visual impairments. Depending on the severity of hypoxia-ischemia, up to 50% of babies may sustain neurological damage or death without the therapy. By using the total body cooling therapy, physicians can now cool an infant's body for 72 hours, which protects the brain, before rewarming to normal temperature.
In August of 2009 River Oaks Hospital opened the only private room Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in the state. In addition to the considerably larger unit, the hospital acquired specialized equipment and developmental processes such as total body cooling therapy and bedside attenuated EEG brainwave monitoring.
The layout of the new NICU was also a major consideration during the designing stage. The units design is conducive to facilitate the care given to the smallest premature babies. Instead of the traditional main nurses' station, there are several work stations with everything nurses need to care for their patients located within close proximity to patients' rooms. The rooms are set up in a ‘pod’ fashion and are designed to facilitate work efficiency for the nurses and enhance patient care.
Comments