Hypothermia for Birth Asphyxia

[JACK]

It would be nice to find out practices around the world regarding Head Cooling / Total Body Cooling for Birth Asphyxia.

I have added a poll for this post.

As for us, we do have the Olympus Head cooling apparatus but use it rarely. Maybe it is because we (the doctors and nurses ) are not comfortable with it. Seems to be related more to initial resistance while adopting a new technology rather than the equipment itself...which is remarkably simple to use.

Edited August 21, 2011 by JACK

[HectorBoix]

Hello Jack,

Here in Barcelona we are using whole body cooling with the Criticool system (MTRE) with a very good servo control.

[Stefan Johansson]

I think you describe a common problem - the difficulty of implementation.

That introduction of a new treatment modality goes beyond the actual intervention, and includes education, putting a desired strategy into "words", writing it down, the learning curve when staff starts to do the intervention etc-etc. As I know that you already know

My suggestion - form a working group including several categories of staff and discuss the medical, nursing and techn aspects of cooling.

We pretty much use the TOBY protocols (as we were a center in the trial), and I am quite sure there are lots of documentation on their web site still:

https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/toby/protocol

https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/toby/leaflets

https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/toby/dcfs

Good luck and I wish you the best with the implementation!

[JACK]

@Stefan: Thank you for the advice.

The problem is that many of the staff (senior to junior) appear to be skeptical of the usefulness of this modality of treatment. Also the nursing staff appear to be put off by the fact of the added manipulation necessitated when applying the head cooling apparatus. Then there is the overall inertia against adopting a "new" treatment.

I think it will take time and more time !!!

[herbertobu]

I like to be educated on how this head or total body cooling works and on the equipment available and their sources. I will like to try them out if the equipment is affordable.

[hehady]

Hi Jack

In Mansoura we use Olympic Cool CAP system

[ali]

Hi Jack,

We've been using total body cooling using the tecotherm mattress for approximately 5 years.

BW

Alistair

[kpsanghvi]

We use ICE protocols

[Apasra]

we use olympus head cooling...

[vito62]

ICE trial is the best evidence that is sufficient a "hot-cold gel pack" and a thermometer to save a human life, it's only a cultural aspect I think