Nurses at the Children's Hospital of New Jersey in Newark recently treated an infant who was suffering from birth asphyxia by cooling her through hypothermia.
The baby, who was born on November 4, 2008, began suffering from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) which occurs when there is an insufficient supply of oxygen. This can result in damage to the brain and spinal cord.
The infant, who was experiencing birth asphyxia injury symptoms shortly after birth, was placed on a cooling mattress for 72 hours. Nurses regulated her temperature through a probe that was inserted into her esophagus. The probe was attached to a cooling machine, which allowed nurses to cool the baby's body to a lower than normal temperature.
The baby was the first birth asphyxia patient to receive hypothermic treatment. This treatment was used to help prevent future birth asphyxia injuries or disorders, such as cerebral palsy.
Following the warming procedure, the infant was found to have no abnormalities in her brain waves.
