Neurodevelopmental Outcome Following Whole Body Cooling for Perinatal Asphyxia.

This follow-up study conducted on children who underwent therapeutic cooling for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, showed normal neurodevelopmental outcome with normal milestones and normal developmental quotient in a minimum of 60% of children at 18-24 months of age. This study shows comparable neurodevelopmental outcome in infants who underwent cooling in a resource poor setting, when compared with existing literature.

Whole Body Cooling in Newborn Infants with Perinatal Asphyxial Encephalopathy in a Low Resource Setting: A Feasibility Trial.

Objective: To determine the feasibility and safety of whole body cooling in newborn infants with perinatal asphyxial encephalopathy in a low resource setting. Design: Feasibility trial. Setting: Tertiary care perinatal centre. Subjects: Infants born at  35 weeks gestation with perinatal asphyxia were included in the study. Interventions: Infants were cooled to a rectal temperature of 33±0.5°C for 72 hours using cloth-covered ice-gel packs. Vital parameters were monitored continuously. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was the achievement of target temperature within 1 hour of initiation of treatment and maintaining the target temperature for 72 hours. Adverse events and possible complications of hypothermia were the secondary outcomes measured. Results: Twenty infants were included in the study. The mean time taken to achieve target rectal temperature was 52±25 minutes. The mean rectal temperature during cooling was 32.9±0.11ºC. The target temperature could be maintained for 72 hours without difficulty in all babies. Adverse events observed during cooling were thrombocytopenia (25%), sinus bradycardia (25%), deranged bleeding parameters (20%), aposteatonecrosis (15%), hyperglycemia (15%), hypoglycemia (10%), hypoxemia (5%), life-threatening coagulopathy (5%) and death (5%). Shivering was noted in many of the babies, especially in the initial phase of cooling. Conclusion: Whole body cooling in term infants with perinatal asphyxia is achievable, safe and inexpensive in a low-resource setting.

Evaluation of efficacy of Sofscale. A clinical and SEM study.

Efficacy of Sofscale in the case of removal of calculus from the root surface as claimed by manufacturers was evaluated in the present study. 32 patients suffering from chronic periodontitis, having calculus deposits in the lower incisors were selected for the study. A double blind study was conducted to evaluate the ease with which calculus could be removed. In the second part of study, a SEM study of the root surface subjected to root planing alone and root planing after application of Sofscale was done to see whether any remnants of calculus was left behind. In the double blind study conducted on 32 patients, it was found in 21 patients, calculus could be removed with greater ease and less time in experimental area compared to the control. 17 patients were able to correctly identify the product side as easier to Sofscale. Patients did not complain of increased sensitivity of teeth or discomfort following application of Sofscale. Under SEM the root surface after root planing showed the presence of smear layer whereas after Sofscale application root surface appeared devoid of smear layer. No other significant difference were noticed between the root surfaces.