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Fibreoptic phototherapy in the management of jaundice in low birthweight neonates
Author(s) -
Donzelli GP,
Moroni M,
Pratesi S,
Rapisardi G,
Agati G,
Fusi F
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1996.tb14034.x
Subject(s) - medicine , jaundice , blue light , bilirubin , pediatrics , serum bilirubin , surgery , physics , optics
A fibreoptic phototherapy device has been compared with conventional white and special blue fluorescent phototherapy lamps to evaluate its efficacy in lowering serum bilirubin levels in low‐birthweight neonates. Fibreoptic phototherapy was found to be as effective 21s white light and less effective than blue light, as assessed by (i) the bilirubin concentration after 24 h of phototherapy and at the end of phototherapy, (ii) the duration of phototherapy, (iii) the percentage daily decline rate and (iv) the overall percentage decline rate ( p < 0.05). There were no failures of phototherapy and the need for re‐exposure was low (4.7% of the total sample), with no difference between groups. The fibreoptic approach represents a promising way to aggregate synergically the most recent optical technologies and develop a modern, efficient and caring phototherapy system for low‐birthweight infants.