Page 17 - Innovation-Spring-2016
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ADVANCED NEWBORN CARE



            Breakthrough Body Cooling technology
            saves lives of oxygen deprived babies

































            Marian Regional Medical Center’s board-certified and highly-trained neonatologists have the expertise needed to care for critically-ill and
            premature infants. Neonatologists Edward Alderete (left), MD, High Risk Infant Follow Up Program Medical Director, Robert Turbow (middle),
            MD, Patient Safety Officer, and Luis Ochoa-Pelaez (right), MD, Neonatology Services Medical Director, stand together for a photo in Marian’s
            Newborn Intensive Care Unit. Not pictured: Donald Rommes, MD.


                                                                                         With the use of innovative cooling
            At Marian Regional Medical Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care                  blanket technology, Marian
            Unit (NICU), miracle making is a daily occurrence as premature               neonatologists and NICU nurses
            and critically-ill infants overcome incredible challenges to                 are improving the survival of
            achieve monumental milestones.                                               oxygen deprived babies and
                                                                                         reducing the possibility of brain
                                                                                         damage development.
            Marian is proud to offer a breakthrough intervention for saving
            the lives of babies suffering from hypoxia-ischemic encephalop-
            athy (HIE), a life-threatening condition caused by deprivation of
            oxygen and blood flow to the brain. With the use of innovative
            cooling blanket technology, Marian neonatologists and NICU   “The recent implementation of infant cooling blanket treatment
            nurses are improving the survival of oxygen deprived babies and   is a prime example of Marian’s dedication to providing patients
            reducing the possibility of brain damage development.   and families with both specialized neonatal expertise and the
                                                                latest in breakthrough technologies,” states Luis Ochoa-Pelaez,
            To halt brain cell deterioration, babies with HIE who fit the   MD, Medical Director of Marian Neonatal Services. “For the
            required criteria are placed on water-filled cooling blankets   region’s sickest and most vulnerable infants, Marian’s NICU
            in order to safely and slowly lower body temperature between   is their home for the first weeks and even months of their
            90.5 degrees Fahrenheit (32.5 degrees Celsius) and 94.1   lives. Our NICU team holds the esteemed privilege of not only
            degrees Fahrenheit (34.5 degrees Celsius). By lowering body   providing the highest level of lifesaving care, but also providing
            temperature, body metabolism is slowed and maintained for 72   our families with the compassionate support needed to navigate
            hours in order to reduce the secondary phase of damage that   through what can many times be a frightening and emotionally
            occurs days after brain injury.                     difficult experience.”


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