How Neohelp™ improves thermoregulation in Neonatal Transfer Services
Neonatal transport is crucial for making sure babies receive the care they need at the right time, and at a unit suited to their needs. Maintaining thermoregulation during transport has its challenges though, and a 2023 study found up to one third of infants arriving at the destination hospitals are hypothermic[1].
Neonates are particularly vulnerable to hypothermia due to their limited ability to regulate body temperature effectively and prolonged exposure to low temperatures can have grave implications for both mortality and morbidity. Newborn admission temperature is a strong predictor of outcomes across all gestations[2] as hypothermia can lead to a cascade of adverse effects, including respiratory distress, metabolic acidosis, and compromised immune function.
Therefore, ensuring optimal thermal management after birth is crucial in safeguarding neonates' well-being and long-term outcomes.
Neohelp™ is a sterile thermal heat regulation suit designed for use within the thermoregulation phase of ‘The Golden Hour of Care’ after a baby is born, especially suitable for premature and low birth weight babies.
The key success of Neohelp is its unique design:
It is completely transparent, to monitor the colour of the newborn’s skin and breath movements, and easy to use with direct access to the baby through the resealable opening.
The hood is fully adjustable to the neonate’s head, which limits the dispersion of heat and pre-formed foam helps to keep the baby’s airway open3 and provides a barrier against heat loss by conduction, while maintaining their position and offering comfort to the baby.
Neonatal Transfer services across the country are introducing Neohelp into their practice and noticing drastic improvements to the temperature of preterm babies arriving at destination hospitals.
Before the implementation, the transfer services found they were arriving to babies who were already hypothermic, and the transport environment was making it more challenging to warm them up.
By ensuring that babies arrive at their destination hospitals in a stable condition, Neohelp not only mitigates the immediate risks associated with hypothermia but also sets the stage for better long-term outcomes and improved quality of life. The versatility, ease of use, and effectiveness of Neohelp has supported the treatment during transport of neonates as well as maintaining optimal body temperature.
One service that has adopted the use of Neohelp is the Paediatric and Neonatal Decision and Support and Retrieval service (PaNDR). Based in Cambridge University Hospitals and transporting seriously ill neonates and children across the East of England, and they have been using the Neohelp suit since 2019 to reduce hypothermia when transporting neonates.
The introduction of Neohelp into neonatal transfer services represents a significant stride forward in improving thermoregulation and enhancing outcomes, especially for preterm and low birth weight infants. As neonatal transfer services across the country implement this innovative solution, the future looks promising for ensuring the well-being of our most vulnerable newborns during transport.
References
1) Improving thermoregulation for preterm babies weighing <1kg during hospital-to-hospital transportation, a novel use of delivery room equipment, D Bird et al.
2) Interventions to prevent hypothermia at birth in preterm and/or low birth weight infants, McCall EM, Alderdice F, Halliday HL, Vohra S, Johnston L Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2018, Issue 2.
3) ANZCOR Guideline 13.4, Management and mask ventilation of the newborn infant, 2016.
About Vygon
We are a leading supplier of medical and surgical devices dedicated to helping clinicians deliver the best possible outcomes for their patients. Our reputation for delivering high quality products is supported by our resolve to provide excellent customer service at whatever level is required. Our comprehensive training and education programme is committed to building clinical competencies, knowledge and expertise whilst Vygon’s skilled Technical Team focuses on providing workable solutions to a wide range of practical queries. We take particular pride in our partnerships with hospitals and Trusts all over the UK where we work closely with both healthcare and procurement professionals to combine clinical effectiveness and financial efficiency.