INCUBATOR

Typical Number in Hospital: 10

Cost Bands: 4

References: 4,6

This may be a piece of laboratory apparatus used for keeping fluids at approximately blood temperature to speed up a chemical or biological reaction, or it may be a temperature-controlled chamber for a premature baby. In the case of the premature baby the natural temperature control mechanism is inadequately developed and so it must be cared for in the early weeks of its life in a special chamber.

The infant incubator is normally in the form of a trolley with a small mattress in the top covered by a rigid clear plastic cover which may be removed to nurse the baby or may have closable ports in the cover through which the nurse's hands may be passed. Underneath the baby is an air-blown electric heating system which circulates air at about 33[d]C through the incubator chamber. The temperature control may be a thermostat in the heated air stream, a thermistor and electronic control, or a temperature sensor may be placed on the abdomen of the baby.

While the baby is being nursed in the incubator, extra oxygen may be introduced into the air in the chamber, or the infant may be artificially ventilated. It is also common to monitor the breathing pattern of the baby, particularly to identify episodes of non-breathing (apnoea), and the skin oxygen tension may also be monitored using a tiny polarographic cell on the skin. Transcutaneous oxygen tension monitoring works relatively well in neonates compared with adults because the skin is more permeable to gases.

Each hospital caring for newborn babies also needs to have at least one transport incubator which is lighter than the conventional models and can be run for a few hours on battery power. These are required for transporting babies between hospitals. This is quite common since not every maternity unit will have the facilities to care for premature, or very small babies.