Evaluation of a PCM Mattress to Treat HIE Infants During Transport

Background the research proposed herein is in line with the Swedish Research Council's current focus on International collaborations and postdoctoral work abroad. In this case the child brain and translational and clinical infant brain research. Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in term infants constitutes a serious health problem, not the least due to its often life-long consequences in the form of cerebral palsy and other forms of brain dysfunction. An estimated 3-5 of every 1000 live term births are affected, a quarter of which with severe symptoms; 10-30% of the affected children do not survive, 30% suffer life-long disabilities. The incidence may be 10-fold higher in the developing world. In Sweden, an estimated 200 children are born each year with hypoxic ischemic asphyxia or oxygen deprivation during delivery of a severity necessitating treatment, in order to reduce future handicap. Not only the brain, but also other organs, such as the heart, liver or kidney can be damaged by hypoxic ischemia. In clinical trials, proof has been obtained that cooling can have positive effects counteracting brain injury induced by oxygen deprivation (asphyxia). Recent research suggests that cooling may also have a positive effect in stroke during the pre-treatment/transportation to hospital phase. PCM. A material with phase change properties (PCM) can be a chemical element, a solution or a substance with high melting energy. It melts/solidifies at a precise temperature and can store considerable amounts of energy (heat) before changing from one phase to another. The study group have used elements or solutions that change between solid and fluid phases within a narrow temperature interval. The most common use of PCM today is for energy storage, accomplished by having the PCM change between solid and fluid phases. Phase changes that include other PCMs, high temperatures and/or gas phases are less useful in medical applications due to the need of either large volumes in