EBME Forums Forums Management Medical Equipment Management Transport Incubators

Dear Brothers,

What’s the score these days with new transport incubators? Is the GlobeTrotter the only option now? Is there any other competition?

Now that we’re in the 21st century, and it seems that every patient must be monitored for everything, what parameters are deemed essential when transporting very ill and/or premature neonates? Over the years I have seen many ways of dealing with monitors, IV pumps, humidifiers etc. associated with transport incubators. Some of the most useful (practical) have actually been what can best be described as “lash-ups” (…from Heath-Robinson Medical? – no, from helpful biomed departments, usually). We had set-ups whereby the system could be powered not only from the vehicle (or aircraft!) but also by almost any power source likely to be encountered along the journey (eg, mains power at gas (petrol) stations, car batteries or whatever – typically for use if and when the vehicle broke down!).

Is there any elegant (and MDA-friendly) way of powering all devices from a single portable power-source? In units I have seen recently, only the incubator itself can be hooked up to the ambulance (via its battery pack). Everything else (syringe pump(s), suction pump, monitor etc.) has to rely on their own in-built batteries (of various quality, reliability, duration etc.). All this can prove a bit overwhelming for accompanying clinical staff when things start to “go wrong”.

What utilities can we assume in British ambulances these days? In previous lives I have come across American ambulances complete with piped oxygen and 110 V mains outlets powered from inverters. UK ambulances I have seen recently seem to have 24 V DC only. Is this the general case?

How about it RoJo? (…anybody?). What is the current transport incubator system of choice?

Best Regards to All

Geoff et al,
The Childrens Accute Transport Service (CATS) based at GOSH and the hospitals own transports are now being done in "BabyPODs". These are small enclosed carrycots available from AHT Advanced Healthcare Technology, Contact: Mark Lait 01992 583222. These cost around £2500 so even with a high disposables cost for heating they are cheap. They are transported around the hospital by hand as any carrycot would be and then strapped to the normal ambulance trolley with the patient restraining straps.
These are heated by Transwarmers from NHS Logisitcs (They are a Draeger product) This is a one shot chemical heater at £20ish.
And we use a Pneupac BabyPac ventillator plus AlarmPac system if the baby's condition needs it.
I think St. Mary's Paddington neonatal unit use a similar system but I have not been there for a couple of years.
Syringe pumps etc are chosen for their long battery life and the monitor is a Propaq. With the correct choise of equipment you do not need to rely on the ambulance supply at all.
Regards
Robert

With this free advertising can I use this oportunity in to shaming Mark Lait for being nearly impossible to contact. And as he is the head of the company we cannot go any higher to complain about him not answering his phone or returning calls. Mark you are suitably chastised - if you want the business, be available.

And sisters!!

Geoff presume nothing, we have our own ambulances so we "generally " know what is aviable.

Gas cyliders that are the light-weight option work well.

We still use the old draeger. Although the pods look very good.

We also use the propaqs.

Our portable syringe pump for transport is the bbraun perfusor compact, very useful on a retrival as they use AA batteries. I was led to believe by our staff that these formed part of a national standardisation of retrival equipment??
Seemed like a good idea, but not if we are the only users.


Tracy


RoJo, say hi to anyone there who may remember me as i worked there in my dim and distant past.