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Odessa Regional Medical Center Introduces Technology to Prevent Brain Damage in Newborns
January 9, 2009
The Odessa Regional Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit has implemented new technology called the Cool-Cap this week that can prevent brain damage in newborns without transferring the patient out of the area.
The Cool-Cap was designed to prevent and reduce brain damage in newborns with oxygen problems during birth. It works by keeping the head cool while the body is maintained at a slightly below-normal temperature. Newborns requiring this technology were previously stabilized and transferred to a facility in Dallas.
ORMC invested $75,000 to purchase the Cool-Cap system to provide care for these newborns right here at home. Dr. Sanjay Patel, ORMC NICU Medical Director, said that this technology is the first of its kind in the Permian Basin. He said that the equipment is important to the ORMC NICU because the treatment must begin as soon as possible. Having the treatment at ORMC will allow babies in the Permian Basin to receive treatments sooner, which is a main factor in improving their outcome. The treatment can slow some of the damage or even reverse the effects of brain damage that are caused when a baby’s oxygen supply has unexpectedly been interrupted during birth.
Babies face serious complications when oxygen has been interrupted or cut off during the birth process. This condition, called hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) can lead to permanent brain damage. HIE occurs in two out of 1,000 births and can cause cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders.
“HIE can occur in births that are premature or full-term. It doesn’t matter,” Dr. Patel said. “And when it occurs there is a limited amount of time to begin treatment to limit or avoid brain damage. We now have an FDA approved tool that may help in some of the situations.”
Olympic Medical Corporation of Seattle, Washington, manufactured the Cool-Cap which was designed to prevent or reduce damage to the brains of these patients by keeping the head cool while the body is maintained at a slightly below-normal temperature. It works by lowering the metabolic rates, which reduces the brain’s demand for energy.
The device consists of a network of soft, water-circulating tubes, which spread the cooling effect around the newborn’s head. The baby’s core temperature is monitored constantly and kept at a safe level by using a radiant warmer.
Odessa Regional Medical Center is a 230-bed full-service healthcare facility with 750 employees. ORMC’s Level III NICU opened in 1975 and is a 33-bed unit.
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