Using a novel laminar flow unit provided effective total body hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic encephalopathy

This was a clinical observational trial on a laminar flow device that provides total body hypothermia for infants with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE).

We enrolled infants born at up to 35 weeks of gestation, who presented with HIE within six hours of birth. Total body cooling was achieved using the neonatal laminar flow unit for 72 hours, with continuous rectal temperature servo control, isolation and humidification. Outcome measures were cerebral palsy, a Bayley II Mental Development Index score <70, hearing loss or blindness. We compared findings with previously published studies.

We included 26 newborn infants (69% male) with a birthweight of 3.341 ± 1658 g and gestational age of 38.2 ± 3.2 weeks. The majority (62.6%) had a Sarnat HIE score of three and 38.4% had a score of two. Total body cooling (33-34°C) was achieved in 70 minutes and maintained with servo control, showing very little variability until rewarming. At 18-24 months of age, two of the 18 survivors were diagnosed with cerebral palsy and one was diagnosed with impaired hearing.

The laminar flow unit proved effective in maintaining moderate total body hypothermia under well-controlled conditions, and our results were very similar to other studies.