Vancouver – When a baby is unable to breathe on its own, every second is a matter of life and death. For World TB Day, BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre Foundation is looking back on the past year of medical advancements in respiratory care in the new Neonatal ICU.
The new Teck Acute Care Centre (TACC) housing BC Women’s state-of-the-art Neonatal ICU opened its doors just six months ago. With 1,100 of the tiniest patients in western Canada given extra care at this facility each year, the new Newborn ICU features 70 private rooms designed for tiny patients and their families. 10 of these special rooms will actually allow mothers to receive care alongside their newborns – the first in North America (and only second in the world) to completely redesign the model of care.
It is estimated that up to 40% of these critically-ill patients will need a breathing tube during their stay. Insertion of a breathing tube is potentially traumatic, and even more so when the newborn has tiny and delicate air passageways. But ground-breaking advancements in respiratory care and donor support, have allowed BC Women’s to acquire a cutting-edge Video Laryngoscope system.
Video laryngoscopes have fiber optic camera lenses built into their light source, allowing for the neonatologist to “see around the corner” and quickly guide a breathing tube into even the most fragile babies. This allows neonatologists like Dr. Deepak Manhas to perform intubations in the gentlest manner possible.
“I am so thrilled to introduce this state-of-the-art video laryngoscope system to our team here at BC Women’s. We’ve seen truly revolutionary improvements to the specialized care we’re overseeing as neonatologists in the new NICU, and this is one key piece of that puzzle.” – Dr. Deepak Manhas, Clinical Neonatologist, BC Women’s Hospital
A streamlined continuum of the highest quality care possible is the goal of BC Women’s Neonatal ICU, and made possible in-part by TB Vets, who have been arming frontline medical heroes through philanthropy since 1946.”
“Every second in the NICU is a matter of life and death, and this new system will not only advance the care of our future leaders of medicine, but it will ultimately save lives right here, right now.” – Dr. Deepak Manhas, Clinical Neonatologist, BC Women’s Hospital
Together with TB Vets, BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre Foundation is taking this World TB Day to reflect on progress made, and continuing to pave the way to a new era of excellence in Neonatal Care.
