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Letters to the Editor Indian Pediatrics 2000;37: 911-912 |
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Oxygen Administration to a Baby in Styropor Box |
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We have used styropor box to maintain warm chain, i.e., as a home incubator, as a transport incubator and also for keeping a baby warm in a hospital(1). In our earlier study(2), we administered oxygen in a styropor box while transporting babies with respiratory distress and decided adequacy of oxygenation on clinical grounds. In this communication, we share the observations made regarding oxygen concentra-tion in styropor box and oxygen saturations, when oxygen was administered to a baby with respiratory distress in styropor box. Subjects of this study were 8 preterm babies with mild respiratory distress. Their birth weights ranged between 1120 g and 1680 g, and gestational age between 29 and 36 weeks. In 5-40% head box oxygen concentration, they maintained oxygen saturation between 92% and 96%. The babies were getting expressed breast milk through orogastric tube. After a verbal informed consent, these babies received oxygen from a 660 liter cylinder at 0.5 liters/min. Oxygen concentration in a styropor box was recorded at 5, 10, 15 and 30 minutes using oxygen analyzer (Oxygdig, Draggers). The measurement commenced 30 minutes after a feed. Oxygen saturations were recorded by using pulse oximeter (Systems biomedical). Difference between oxygen concentration at different intervals was tested using ‘t’ test. The intervals (in min) chosen for comparison were 0 vs 5, 5 vs 10, 10 vs 15 and 15 vs 30. The mean oxygen concentration varied between 29 to 41% between 5 and 30 minutes. The oxygen concentration steadily increased in styropor box (Table I ). The difference was statistically significant between 0 vs 5 (p = 0.000), 5 vs 10 (p = 0.01) and 10 vs 15 minutes (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference between oxygen concentrations at 15 vs 30 minutes (p = 0.06). This suggests that the oxygen concentration rose gradually and significantly up to 15 min. Styropor box is an inexpensive tool for keeping babies warm. It is effective even in the hands of less skilled persons. Newborn babies with respiratory distress need oxygen also. This study shows that a good oxygen concentration can be achieved in styropor box at a much lower flow rate. This observation may be useful when styropor box is used as a "transport incubator" for transport or at a primary health center/rural hospital as a "stationary incubator" for a baby with respiratory distress. Table I__Oxygen Concentrations in Styropor Box at Different Intervals
S.R. Daga,
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