Kangaroo Transport Instead of Incubator
Transport
Potential to Decrease Risks Associated with
Incubator Transport
A nurse-physician research team (based in
Boston and Germany) reported the findings of a descriptive study of the use of
"Kangaroo" care during transport of infants with an implied comparison to the
traditional use of incubators during transport. Thirty one infants were studied
in Germany. They ranged in gestational age from 26 to 41 weeks with birth
weights ranging from 870 g to 3,470 g. Transport time ranged from 10 minutes to
5 hours and covered from 2 to 400 km. Two of the transports were by helicopter
and the remaining by ground ambulance.
Heart rate, ventilatory rate, oxygen
saturation and rectal temperature remained stable during all kangaroo
transports.
Kangaroo transport can promote mother-infant
closeness and might ameliorate some of the risks associated with incubator
transport. For more information, see:
Sontheimer D, Fishcer CB & Buch KE.
(2004). Kangaroo transport instead of incubator transport. Pediatrics, 113,
920-923. |
