Kaiser Elisabeth, Stutz Regine, Goedicke-Fritz Sybelle, Bous Michelle, Zemlin Michael, Adams Christian
Department of General Pediatrics and Neonatology, Saarland University Hospital and Saarland University Faculty of Medicine, Homburg, Germany.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.
Klin Padiatr. 2023 Jul;235(4):228-234. doi: 10.1055/a-1906-0960. Epub 2022 Sep 15.
Preterm birth and the subsequent necessary treatment in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) subjects the preterm infant to non-physiological noise exposure with potentially adverse consequences for short- and long-term development. Adjusters to improve the acoustic environment for the preterm infant need to be defined.
Sound pressure level measurements during routine procedures in a NICU were performed by ¼" microphones placed inside and outside the incubator. The microphones need to be suitably positioned to measure sound pressure levels that are representative for the sound field inside and outside the incubator. The sound pressure level spectra generated by respiratory support and corresponding monitor alarms were compared.
Inside the incubator, higher sound level pressures (in dBA) were generated primarily by the use of the system components of the incubator itself than outside, whereas when the incubator was closed, it had an insulating effect on sounds generated in the NICU. Non-invasive ventilation resulted in an increase in sound pressure levels from 50 to 60 dBA in the neonate's environment, with sound pressure levels increasing particularly in the frequency range above 1 kHz.
Preterm infants are exposed to high sound levels, especially in the non-physiological high-frequency range, particularly during non-invasive ventilation. The continuous sound exposure could be further reduced to some extent by an optimized design of the incubator.
早产以及随后在新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）进行的必要治疗，使早产儿暴露于非生理性噪声环境中，这可能对其短期和长期发育产生不良后果。需要确定改善早产儿声学环境的调节器。
通过放置在培养箱内外的¼英寸麦克风，对NICU常规操作期间的声压级进行测量。麦克风需要适当定位，以测量代表培养箱内外声场的声压级。比较了呼吸支持和相应监测警报产生的声压级谱。
在培养箱内，主要由培养箱自身系统组件的使用产生的声压级（以dBA为单位）高于箱外，而当培养箱关闭时，它对NICU中产生的声音具有隔音作用。无创通气导致新生儿环境中的声压级从50 dBA增加到60 dBA，特别是在高于1kHz的频率范围内声压级增加。
早产儿暴露于高声级环境中，尤其是在非生理性高频范围内，特别是在无创通气期间。通过优化培养箱设计，可在一定程度上进一步降低持续的声音暴露。
