The neonatal nursery team at Mowbray Maternity Hospital are delighted with two new pieces of equipment recently purchased by generous funding from the Green Hands Committee , Old Mutual Investment Group South Africa, and the South African Muslim Charitable Trust (established by Old Mutual Unit Trusts, Albaraka Bank and Channel Islam International).
Dr. Niki van Niekerk , Neonatal consultant and Paediatric cardiologist at Mowbray Maternity Hospital, explains how their new combination echocardiogram/ultrasound machine is used.
“We can make early and accurate bedside diagnoses of suspected heart conditions with this machine to expedite management and referral. We also use it to do scans for at-risk premature infants as well as infants presenting with encephalopathy, ensuring quality and comprehensive care for our patients”
According to Dr. van Niekerk, the major benefits of the machine are the excellent picture quality, the ease of use, and importantly that it is relatively small and mobile.
“This allows us to take a difficult and detailed investigation to the baby’s bedside, making it a much less disruptive procedure in an unstable baby. In the case of a well, fretting baby the machine can even be adjusted to facilitate scanning while the baby breastfeeds. This all helps to alleviate patient, parent and doctor’s stress!”
Phototherapy light is used extensively by the neonatal nursery team. The new baby friendly phototherapy bed is small and portable and is fitted to the baby’s hospital bassinette providing phototherapy light to the baby from below and the side; particularly effective in the treatment of critically ill jaundiced babies.
Dr Lucy Linley, Neonataologist-in-Charge at Mowbray Maternity Hospital wishes to thank the South African Muslim Charitable Trust for the combination echocardiogram/ultrasound machine and the Green Hands committee for the phototherapy bed - this support and generosity is much appreciated!
Click to view: Cape Argus “State of art machines to save prem babies’ lives Oct 4, 2012
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