INFANT INCUBATOR

Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 1

OUTLINE
➢ Course objectives
➢ Introduction
➢ History
➢ Parts of an Infant incubator
➢ Principle of operation
➢ Parameters monitored
➢ Application
➢ Maintenance & Cleaning
➢ Safety Precautions
➢ Troubleshooting

Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 2

 Course objectives
➢To provide basic understanding on the use of Infant
Incubator
➢To perform and understand the basic user’s
troubleshooting steps
➢describe what an Infant Incubator is including its
applications
➢Perform basic user maintenance
➢perform and identify basic problems, errors and basic
troubleshooting solutions
Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 3
Introduction
➢An incubator (or isolette) is an apparatus used to maintain
environmental conditions suitable for a neonate (newborn
baby).
➢It is used in preterm births or for some ill full-term babies.
➢It is a Bio- Medical device which provides warmth, humidity
and oxygen all in a controlled environment as required by the
new born.
➢The chamber provides a clean environment and helps to protect
the baby from noise, drafts, infection and excess handling.
Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 4
 Introduction…
Basic construction
➢ The design basically contains a trolley with a mattress on top covered by a rigid clear
plastic cover (canopy)

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Introduction…
Function
➢Incubators are available in all neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The
incubator controls temperature, humidity and oxygenation of the air.
➢It can increase oxygenation by nasal tubes, or by mechanical control of
oxygen levels
➢By creating a closed and controlled environment, the incubator protects
the new-born from infection, air drafts and handling by nurses and others
who may carry bacteria or viruses on their bodies or in their clothing.

Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 6

Introduction…
➢The incubator also allows feeding of the new-born through
intravenous tubes, as well as the intravenous administration of
any necessary medication
➢Incubators can also be constructed as carriers, to be used when
premature or ill new-borns are moved from one facility to
another.
➢These transport incubators have self-enclosed feeding and
monitoring equipment and a portable oxygen supply.

Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 7

History of incubators

Early infant incubators

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 History of incubators…

1952
Japan first modern infant incubator 1955
Atom Infant Incubator N-52h Atom Infant Incubator V-55
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History of incubators…

1975 1980
Atom Infant Incubator Model V-75 Atom Infant Incubator V-80
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History of incubators…

ATOM V-2100G ATOM V-2100

Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 11
Parts of an Infant incubator

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Parts of an Infant incubator…
➢ FAN - distribute air evenly to ensure equal temperature throughout the
incubator. this prevents spaces of cold or stale air.
➢ HEATER - the heater is adjustable and helps maintain an infant's core body
temperature. The temperature is always monitored through a temperature
controller. once set, the heater regulates itself just as a thermostat does on a
home heating unit.
➢ CANOPY- The canopy is a clear, acrylic covering that protects the baby from the
outside world and harmful germs that may infect the child. It also makes the
perfect warm and oxygenated environment for a baby that's similar to a
mother's womb.
➢ FILTERS - Filters clean the air before it is pulled into the incubator, preventing
harmful particles from entering the incubator and possibly infecting the infant's
lungs.

Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 13

Parts of an Infant incubator…
➢ HYGROMETER - This part of the incubator measures the amount of humidity
inside the incubator. It's also responsible for breathing warm and humidified air
into the baby's lungs through endotracheal tubes that run from the baby's
nostril into the lungs.
➢ INLETS - Inlets allow the administration of oxygen, medications and IV fluids.
➢ PORT HOLES - Port holes allow nurses and caretakers to handle the baby
without contaminating the infant's environment. Port holes are holes sealed
with rubber gloves that you must insert your hands into in order have limited
and contamination-free access to the inside of the incubator.
➢ RESPIRATORY TUBING (MECHANICAL RESPIRATOR) -These tubes are
usually endotracheal (inserted through the nostril for access to the lungs) and
are a way to provide artificial oxygenation to an infant.
Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 14
Principle of operation
➢ Most incubators warm the infant by a forced or natural flow of heated
air. At least one unit supplements air convection by actively warming
the incubator walls to reduce radiant heat loss. Another unit uses a
mattress of warm water, rather than a convective airflow, to warm the
infant.
➢ Heating and humidification systems are located beneath the infant
compartment.
➢ A fan or natural flow circulates air past the heater and the temperature
measuring device, over a water reservoir used to humidify the air (if
desired), and up into the infant compartment.

Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 15

Principle of operation…
 Most incubators are equipped with proportional heating controls
that provide electrical power to the heating coil in response to the
difference between the actual temperature and the desired
temperature.
 Most units have two modes of operation: air-temperature control
and skin-temperature control. With the air-temperature (manual)
control, the operator sets the temperature of the air in the
incubator; changes in infant body temperature are usually
measured periodically with a thermometer, and adjustments in air
temperature are made accordingly.

Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 16

Principle of operation…
➢ In the skin temperature control mode, also called the servo (automatic)
mode, a sensor is taped to the infant’s skin, and the heater responds to
changes in the sensor to keep the skin temperature at the pre-set level.
➢ Most units allow the user to vary relative humidity from either a built-in
reservoir or an outside source (e.g., a humidifier that attaches to one of
the inlet ports). Although increasing the relative humidity in an incubator
can reduce evaporative heat loss, many clinicians avoid supplemental
humidification because of concern that infectious organisms may
proliferate in the water reservoir.
➢ Many incubators have one or two oxygen inlet ports and can be equipped
with optional oxygen controllers. These incubators can also provide
support and protection for oxygen cylinders when oxygen must be
delivered to the infant in the incubator

Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 17

Principle of operation…

Typical front panel of an incubator

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Parameters monitored
➢ Temperature and Humidity - Temperatures range around 30 to 37ºc,
humidity levels range from 50 to 90%, depending on the babies size and
age. The incubator keeps the baby warm with moistened air in a clean
environment, and helps to protect the baby from noise, drafts, infection,
and excess handling.
➢ Skin - Premature infants’ skin has fewer layers of stratum corneum,
hence it is very permeable. Babies' skin may have oedema It has less
collagen and fewer elastic fibres in the dermis, little subcutaneous fat.
The babies skin does not sweat, it is nonkeratinised. There is a risk of
injuries and infection

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Parameters monitored…
➢ ECG monitoring - Three electrodes are placed on the babies chest for ECG
continuous monitoring. The same electrodes that are used for ECG
monitoring are also used for respiration monitoring, since PMS can
measure and display both the ECG and the respiration rate.
➢ Neonatal jaundice - Phototherapy lights are used when babies are
jaundiced (yellow). Some degree of jaundice, which is caused by the
presence of a molecule called bilirubin in the blood, is common and even
normal new-borns. However, in sick infants, jaundice can result from a
variety of problems, and when jaundice is extreme it can cause brain
damage. Certain wavelengths of light (in the blue part of the spectrum)
can cause a chemical reaction that converts bilirubin into a harmless form
as blood passes through the skin.

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Parameters monitored …

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Application
➢ Incubators are used in hospital neonatal units to care for new-born
babies who may be premature or suffering from illness, breathing
difficulties or other birth complications. The incubator has evolved into
a complex machine capable of many different functions essential to the
recovery of newborns in distress
➢ Applicable departments include NICU, SCN, Post natal care wards,
➢ Transport Incubators can be found in Labour ward to transport the new
born to Post natal wards or NICU.
➢ Hospitals that don’t have a dedicated NICU will have a transport
incubator so that critical new born can be shifted via ambulance or
helicopters to the nearest hospital having an NICU facility.
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Maintenance

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Safety Precaution

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Basic troubleshooting
1. Symptom
Over temperature alarm falsely activated when incubator air temperature
below 38°C is indicated.
Possible Cause :
i. Faulty setting of over temperature alarm
ii. Either thermistor or thermostat sensor not properly positioned.
iii. Dirty micro-air filter
iv. Clogged air intake pipe.
v. Motor not working.
vi. Over temperature alarm thermostat sensor faulty.
Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 25
Basic troubleshooting…
2. Symptom
Safety device operating below 38°C or above 39°C.(Device is normally set
to operate between 38°C and 39°C)
Possible Cause:
i. Thermostat (for over temperature control) not properly set.

3. Symptom
Sharp temperature drop inside incubator
Possible Cause:
i. Motor not running.
ii. Broken heater or its wiring.
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Basic troubleshooting…
4. Symptom
Heater not heating up
Possible Cause :
i. Defective incubator temperature thermistor sensor.
ii. Heater element faulty.
iii. Defective circuit board.

Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 27

Basic troubleshooting…

Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 28

Basic troubleshooting…

Prepared by Joel Sabore Dept of Medical Engineering TUM 29