A technique which uses rapid cooling to save new-born babies from brain damage wins official endorsement in the UK today.
Brain-cooling has become widely used in neo-natal units and is applied when babies have suffered oxygen deprivation during birth – leading to brain damage and conditions such as cerebral palsy.
Doctors can use a specially designed cooling cap or they can wrap the baby in a blanket or mattress filled with cooled air or fluid
The technique wins backing today from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
NICE says there are possible side-effects and it should only be performed by specially trained staff and in neonatal units, experienced in caring for severely ill babies.
Professor Bruce Campbell, who wrote the NICE guidance, said: "Having analysed the evidence, it is clear that therapeutic hypothermia is better than standard intensive care treatments at reducing the risks for carefully selected newborn babies who have been deprived of oxygen. It has been shown to decrease their chance of dying or of developing severe neurological damage.
"Therapeutic hypothermia does, however, have some risks and possible complications, such as localised bleeding or infection."
John Shanley, of the Sparks charity, welcomed the findings.
He said: "The NICE recommendations should result in the development of a better all-round understanding of a birth trauma that affects around 1,000 babies a year in the UK alone and can result in lifelong conditions such as cerebral palsy and epilepsy."
Meanwhile maternity departments were urged yesterday to take precautions to ensure swabs are not "left behind" when they are used during labour.
This happened 99 times in two years, according to the National Patient Safety Agency.
Swabs can cause pain, fever, infection, bleeding and stress if they are left behind. New NPSA guidance sets out how staff should prevent this happen, stressing the need to ensure swabs are counted properly.
Sara Johnson, of the NPSA, said: "This rapid response report is not designed to introduce any unnecessary clinical interventions into the birth process but is to ensure the ongoing comfort and safety of the woman in the postnatal period.
"This guidance is necessary as the effects of infection and the psychological harm associated with these incidents can be significant and last beyond the immediate postnatal period."
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