Incubator, Infant

UMDNS GMDN
12113 Incubators, Infant 35121 Transport infant incubator
17432 Incubators, Infant, Mobile 36025 Conventional infant incubator
12114 Incubators, Infant, Transport

Other common names:

Beds, Infant; Combination Incubator/Warmers; Infant Incubators; Infant Warmers; Neonatal Care Stations; Transport
Incubators; Warmers; Thermostated transportable incubator; Incubator, neonatal transport
Core medical equipment - Information

Health problem addressed

At birth, an infant’s core and skin temperatures tend to drop
significantly because of heat loss from conduction, convection,
radiation, and water evaporation. Prolonged cold stress
in neonates can cause oxygen deprivation, hypoglycemia,
metabolic acidosis, and rapid depletion of glycogen stores.

Product description
Bassinets enclosed in plastic with climate controlled equipment
and hand-access ports with doors that are intended to keep
infants warm and limit their exposure to germs.

Principles of operation
These devices provide a closed, controlled environment that
warms an infant by circulating heated air over the skin. The heat
is then absorbed into the body by tissue conduction and blood Use and maintenance
convection. Ideally, both the skin and core temperatures should User(s): Nursing staff
be maintained with only minor variations.
Maintenance: Medical staff; technician;
biomedical or clinical engineer
Operating steps Training: Initial training by manufacturer and
The neonate lies on a mattress in the infant compartment, manuals
which is enclosed by a clear plastic hood. Incubators have hand-
access ports with doors that permit the infant to be handled
while limiting the introduction of cool room air. The clinician can Environment of use
raise or remove the plastic hood or open a panel to gain greater Settings of use: Hospital (primary care,
access to the infant. intermediate care, intensive care areas);
transport units used in ambulances

Reported problems Requirements: Stable power source

Deaths and injuries to neonates in incubators have been linked
to thermostat failure that caused incubator overheating and Product specifications
infant hyperthermia and to malfunctions or design defects that Approx. dimensions (mm): 1326 x 1040 x 750
produced fires and electric shock hazards. Inadequate control
over the amount of oxygen delivered in an incubator can cause Approx. weight (kg): 93
hyperoxia or hypoxia. Consumables: NA
Price range (USD): 13,000 - 43,000
Typical product life time (years): 7 to 10
Shelf life (consumables): NA

Types and variations

Incubator; incubator/warmer; transport;
mobile

© Copyright ECRI Institute 2011 (not including the GMDN code and device name).
http://www.who.int/medical_devices/en/index.html Reproduced with Permission from ECRI Institute’s Healthcare Product Comparison System.
© Copyright GMDN Agency 2011. GMDN codes and device names are reproduced with permission from the GMDN Agency.