One of the birth injuries that occurs in the delivery room is hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). HIE is a loss of oxygen at birth. A loss of oxygen at birth can cause brain injury, cerebral palsy and/or severe visual and cognitive impairments. Up to 50 percent of babies will die or suffer from neurological damage because of loss of oxygen at birth.

A relatively new procedure—therapeutic hypothermia—has been found to decrease the number of deaths and neurological problems associated with HIE. The American Academy of Pediatrics found that after a study of 500 infants, that not using the treatment resulted in more neurological damage. The CSZ Blanketrol® II Hypo-Hyperthermia System with CSZ cooling/warming blankets cools the baby’s temperature down to 92.3 for 72 hours. After 72 hours, the system rewarms the baby to his or her normal body temperature.

Because the study is relatively new, doctors do not know how HIE continues to affect the body after 18 months. But prior to 18 months of age, babies so treated have shown good response to the treatment. There are also side effects associated with hypothermia. Some of these side effects include impaired cardiac function, increased sepsis and disordered coagulation, but these side effects are only normally found with profound hypothermia.

In studies of hypothermia in adults (to 33 Celsius), thrombocytopenia, hypokalemeia and increased sepsis have been noted. Thrombocytopenia is a disorder wherein the platelet count is very low. Blood platelets are what causes blood to clot properly. With lower platelets, a person bleeds for a longer period of time before the blood finally clots. Hypokalemeia is a lack of potassium in the body. Incidents of these side effects were not found in infants who underwent HIE treatment, as the treatment does not significantly lower body temperature.

Prior to offering the treatment, a nationwide survey of 500 infants was done. Cincinnati Sub-Zero Medical, a subdivision of CSZ Products is the leader in the design and development of advanced patient temperature management solutions, and announced, upon the successful completion of the nationwide survey, that their CSZ treatment is now available.

Children’s Hospital Boston was one of the first hospitals to offer CSZ treatment for loss of oxygen at birth. Anne Hansen, MD, MPH, Children’s Hospital Boston Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Medical Director and Harvard Medical School Assistant Professor of Pediatrics played a large role in establishing the CSZ treatment protocol.

CSZ treatment is also being used for other injuries, such as spinal cord injuries and brain injuries in adults.