title: The incubator as a chemical warfare protective device in neonatal intensive care units.
abstract: During the Persian Gulf war chemical warfare (CW) protective devices were distributed to the entire population of Israel. Neonates were to be placed in a protective infant carrier (PIC) or an improved PIC ("active PIC") to which filtered air was actively introduced by a blower. The specific needs of low birthweight babies hospitalized in intensive care units and treated in incubators were not adequately addressed. Transfer to a PIC meant disconnecting the infants from life-supporting systems and monitoring devices and exposing them to changes in ambient temperature. To overcome this difficulty the original incubator was used as a CW protective device. Its ports were sealed and low-grade positive pressure was created. This avoided transfer of the neonates from their controlled environment, reduced physiological stress, and improved medical supervision.
authors.affiliation: Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, Tel-Hashomer.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Linder
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lubin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gale
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gale
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Reichman
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis; D001831:Body Temperature; D002618:Chemical Warfare; D002959:Civil Defense; D004867:Equipment Design; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007185:Incubators / Q000592:standards*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007557:Israel; D012134:Respiratory Protective Devices / Q000592:standards*