11.3 – Infant Incubator

Infant Incubator

Hypothermia can results in serious adverse events that can affect both term and per-term infants; therefore, providing thermal protection of these newborns is of utmost importance (see Video 1 for working principles of an incubator). Infant incubators (Do not confuse these with radiant/infant warmers. See Video 2 for difference between incubator and warmer) are used to keep unwell newborn or premature infants in controlled conditions of temperature, humidity and oxygen level. Doors are provided in the sides to allow access to attend to the infant. The common types incorporate a low-power heater and a fan to circulate the air. There are warning alarms to draw attention to mains failure or overheating, for example.

The first infant incubators had been invented in France in the mid- to late-1800s by Dr Stéphane Tarnier, who supposedly got the idea of using incubators for babies after visiting Paris Zoo and seeing the large egg incubators used to hatch chicks. This link between incubation and eggs was already present in the public consciousness and the choice of the term ‘incubator’ (or ‘couveuse’ in French) would have been more reminiscent of increasingly technological animal husbandry than medical care in a hospital. Indeed, when incubators were first exhibited at the Berlin Industrial Exposition of 1896 the exhibit was literally translated as ‘The Child Hatchery’ and the incubators themselves described as ‘artificial foster mothers’.

INSERT PICTURE OF OUR INCUBATOR

Video 1: Working principles of infant incubator

Video 2: Difference between infant incubator and radiant/infant warmer

Incubator Maintenance

Day-to-day care involves care of the door catches and seals. Like ventilators and anaesthetic machines, the incubator needs to be thoroughly checked twice a year, and functioning should be checked after each cleaning. Check that:

– it warms up to, and is able to maintain, the set temperature;
– the over-temperature alarm works at the correct setting;
– all dials read correctly.

Also check the electrical safety of the machine. Problems are most likely to be of an electrical nature. If there is overheating, check that the ambient air temperature is not too high, and that the machine is not exposed to the sun. A fan-failure alarm may indicate that the bearings of the fan motor need lubricating or replacing. Correct bearings may be available from a supplier of roller bearings for industrial use. Do not attempt to repaint the interior surfaces. This can cause serious harm to newborn infants by contaminating the air they breathe.

The following link provides a great overview of the preventative maintenance work required on an infant incubator: Infant Incubator PM