Digital Monitoring System

The London Neonatal Transfer Team have requested these monitors for all babies that have a need to be intubated and on a ventilator during a transfer.

Blood gas monitoring using these machines is essential to assure clinicians that the respiratory support they are being given is achieving the desired goals, although it is usually incredibly invasive for the babies.

However, there is a Sensor available which is heated to a specific temperature and attached directly to the baby's skin. This brings the blood vessels closer to the skins surface and allows the sensitive electrodes in the sensor to read the levels of carbon dioxide in the baby's blood. This is a non-invasive way to read the carbon dioxide levels in a patient, allowing for continuous monitoring of the levels and therefore allows clinicians to adjust ventilation support as the baby requires. It also reduces the number of invasive blood checks therefore reducing a painful experience for the baby.

The monitor and sensor are running as two seperate Appeals but are both required asap by the clinical teams.