Cool-Cap System Heals Infant

July 8th, 2008 Posted in News, Resources/Support

Awhile back, we wrote about the Cool- Cap system, the only FDA-approved treatment for babies who experience brain injuries after being deprived of oxygen during birth. The Cool-Cap is intended for use on babies born with moderate to severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a potentially fatal injury to the brain caused by low levels of oxygen. Placed on the baby’s head immediately after birth, the water-filled cap drops a baby’s head and body temperature to 34 degrees centigrade and maintains cooling for 72 hours. The FDA reports that the Cool-Cap may help the approximately 5,000 to 9,000 babies who are born in the U.S. each year with moderate to severe HIE. Moreover, at least 25 percent of those babies suffer neurological problems.

Recently, Isabelle Ann McMonigal, of Allport, Pennsylvania became the first patient at Geisinger’s Janet Weis Children’s Hospital to receive this treatment. She received the treatment in late April and since then the swelling inside her brain has decreased dramatically, she is feeding well and she is showing little or no signs of brain damage. Her father Christian McMonigal said, “It was a complete turnaround. She’s doing very well now, and we’re really fortunate that the equipment was there at Geisinger.” Dr. James Cook, Geisinger’s neonatology director said, “The Cool-Cap essentially slows down metabolism in the brain and allows the brain to get rid of toxins. This enables the brain to focus all of its efforts toward repairing itself.”

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