Ashford and St Peter's Hospital launches new intensive care transport incubator system

St Peter's Hospital NICU has received a new transport incubator system for use by the Surrey Neonatal Transfer Service. The fully equipped mobile intensive care unit for infants was launched at the level 3 unit in March and has already made several journeys, including a trip to Swansea to bring a premature baby back home to Surrey.

The rig consists of a new ventilator, capable of delivering state-of-the-art modes of breathing support including synchronised volume targeted ventilation and high frequency oscillatory ventilation as well as non-invasive respiratory support modes such as humidified high flow nasal cannula and CPAP.

There is a unit on board to provide controlled body cooling during transit for babies who have sustained brain injury and a bank of syringe pumps to provide critical fluids and drugs. The transport trolley also incorporates advanced monitoring equipment for the continuous measurement of vital signs from sensors connected to the breathing tube, arterial line, and on the skin for enhanced safety during transfer in the dedicated ambulance.

Lead Clinician for Surrey Neonatal Transfer Service Dr Tosin Otunla says: "This fully configured system enables us to provide a full range of medical intensive care safely, comfortably and securely for critically ill babies who need to be moved between hospitals in Kent, Surrey and Sussex. The rig is also used to take babies for specialist procedures as well as to transfer babies back to their local hospitals as a step towards being discharged home. We anticipate that the service will benefit around 400 babies a year."