Invictus Medical, Inc., San Antonio, Texas, United States of America.
Pediatrix Medical Group, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2020 Jul 15;15(7):e0235287. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235287. eCollection 2020.
Noise in the neonatal intensive care unit can be detrimental to the health of the hospitalized infant. Means of reducing that noise include staff training, warning lights, and ear coverings, all of which have had limited success. Single family rooms, while an improvement, also expose the hospitalized infant to the same device alarms and mechanical noises found in open bay units.
We evaluated a non-contact incubator-based active noise control device (Neoasis™, Invictus Medical, San Antonio, Texas) in a simulated neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting to determine whether it could effectively reduce the noise exposure of infants within an incubator. In the NICU simulation center, we generated a series of clinically appropriate sound sequences with bedside medical devices such as a patient monitor and fluid infusion devices, hospital air handling systems, and device mechanical sounds. A microphone-equipped infant mannequin was oriented within an incubator. Measurements were made with the microphones with the Neoasis™ deactivated and activated.
The active noise control device decreased sound pressure levels for certain alarm sounds by as much as 14.4 dB (a 5.2-fold reduction in sound pressure) at the alarm tone's primary frequency. Frequencies below the 2 kHz octave band were more effectively attenuated than frequencies at or above the 2 kHz octave band. Background noise levels below 40 dBA were essentially not impacted by the active noise control device.
The active noise control device further reduces noise inside infant incubators. Device safety and potential health benefits of the quieter environment should be verified in a clinical setting.
新生儿重症监护病房的噪音可能对住院婴儿的健康有害。降低噪音的方法包括员工培训、警示灯和耳塞，但这些方法都收效甚微。单人间虽然有所改善，但也使住院婴儿暴露在与开放式婴儿床单元相同的设备警报和机械噪音中。
我们在模拟新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）环境中评估了一种基于非接触式孵化器的主动噪声控制设备（Neoasis™，Invictus Medical，圣安东尼奥，德克萨斯州），以确定它是否能有效降低孵化器内婴儿的噪声暴露。在 NICU 模拟中心，我们使用床边医疗设备（如患者监护仪和输液设备、医院空气处理系统和设备机械声音）生成了一系列临床适当的声音序列。配备麦克风的婴儿模拟人被放置在孵化器内。使用 Neoasis™ 关闭和打开时的麦克风进行测量。
主动噪声控制设备将某些警报声的声压级降低了 14.4 分贝（声压降低了 5.2 倍），在警报音的主要频率处。低于 2 kHz 倍频程的频率比在 2 kHz 倍频程或以上的频率更有效地衰减。低于 40 dBA 的背景噪声水平基本上不受主动噪声控制设备的影响。
主动噪声控制设备进一步降低了婴儿孵化器内的噪声。应在临床环境中验证设备的安全性和更安静环境的潜在健康益处。
