Infant Incubator - Basics
| Abbreviation / other names What does "Incubator" mean |
Humidi crib (not a correct name)
Incubate = to keep warm |
| What does it do | An infant incubator is used mainly to keep a baby’s
core temperature stable at 37 degrees Celsius. Most incubators
also humidify the air and can add extra oxygen. |
| Physiology |
The core temperature of the human body needs to be kept at
a constant temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. If the temperature
goes too high or too low, then the organs can be damaged and
illness or death can result. Premature babies (babies born before
they are due to be born) have undeveloped nervous systems and
also lack the energy to regulate their own temperature, so their
temperature needs to be maintained by an incubator. We can only
give small babies a small amount of food for growing. We want
them to use all of their energy for growth rather than wasting
it on keeping warm, so sometimes we use the incubator to help
them grow faster. |
| How it works |
The mattress where the baby lies is completely enclosed by
a clear plastic canopy. The temperature in the incubator is
increased by a heater element below the mattress. A motor driven
fan near the heater draws in fresh air through a filter and
blows it past the heater, warming the air. The air is directed
up through slots into the area above the mattress and circulated
around. The air temperature is monitored by temperature sensors
and is adjusted by controlling the current to the heater. The
incubator can also monitor the baby’s skin temperature
by using a skin temperature probe, which is stuck onto the skin.
The user can either set the incubator to control the temperature
of the air or to control the temperature of the baby’s
skin (servo control mode). Supplementary oxygen can be taken
in by an oxygen inlet connection where it is mixed with the
fresh air through the filter. The humidity can be increased
by the use of water baths (passive humidification) or by dripping
water on a heated element (active humidification). The baby
is cared for through special access doors called arm ports. |
| Units of measurement |
Temperature: degrees Celsius Total gas intake: L/min Relative Humidity % Oxygen concentration: % |
| Typical values |
Air Temperature: 32 to 38 C° Baby skin temperature: 34 to 36 C° Total gas intake: 35 L/min Relative humidity: 50-100% |
| Picture of equipment |
 |
 |
Not normal application.... |
Drager Caelo |