Safety and Efficacy of Hypothermia to Treat Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

A semiconductor water circulation cooling device (YJW608-04B, Henyang Radio Manufactory, Hunan, China) was used to conduct head cooling. The hypothermia group was fitted with a cooling cap around the head for 72 hours. The temperature of the cap could be adjusted between 5 to 20 degree C and was automatically regulated by a servo-controlled temperature probe placed in the nasopharynx to maintain the nasopharyngeal temperature at (34±0.2)degree C. All infants were nursed under a servo-controlled radiant warmer and the rectal temperature was maintained at 34.5 to 35 degree C. Head cooling was started within 6 hours after birth for 72 hours followed by spontaneous re-warming and the average time to reach the target temperature was 2 hours.