Vital new monitor part of ‘revolutionary MRI process’ for newborn babies.
£45,000 has been donated to Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) as part of the J9 Advisory £100,000 Charity Challenge to enable the purchase of life-saving MRI monitoring equipment.
The monitor is part of a revolutionary MRI process at the Leeds Children’s Hospital, unique to Europe, which is transforming the care of newborn babies with heart disease.
The new equipment allows seamless and mobile monitoring of vital sign measurements in the poorliest babies from the bedside before, during and after an MRI scan. The monitoring equipment is completely MRI safe with no need to disturb the baby if it’s sleeping (and risking the success of the MRI scan) to change monitoring equipment.
This process utilises a state-of-the-art MRI Baby Incubator – a ground-breaking alternative to established paediatric MRI scans. It is unique in that Leeds is the only European heart unit which can conduct MRI baby scans in the incubator while the young patient is awake.
The incubator, which was installed in 2021, allows babies to have an MRI scan of the heart without the need for a general anaesthetic. They can be awake or asleep during the scan, and it allows them to be transported directly from the Ward into the MRI department thus minimising potential distress.
In 2022, J9 Advisory funded two infusion pumps for the incubator allowing the medical teams to continue giving lifesaving medications during the MRI scan.
Johnny Abraham, Managing Director of J9 Advisory added:
“I am thrilled that our £100,000 Charity Campaign has funded this essential monitoring equipment, and would like to thank everyone who has generously helped us make this happen by donating money, time and prizes to our fundraising.
“It was amazing to hear that this is the only unit in Europe being used in this way, and it was put to use within days of being installed”
Dr Malenka said:
“We are incredibly grateful to Johnny, J9 Advisory and their business network. I am so excited that we can now seamlessly monitor even the most fragile of our babies without needing to disturb the baby to change monitoring equipment to an MRI safe unit. This revolutionary MRI process is transforming how we look after and image especially our newborn babies.”
“Now all babies can have an MRI Baby Incubator scan instead of a CT scan which uses radiation and is missing crucial information about blood flow.”
Heart hero Sophie’s mum, Emma-Jane Hickie, was so glad the incubator was available, not least because the medication feed was needed during Sophie’s treatment.
Emma said:
“The incubator is an amazing piece of equipment. I’m very grateful that this was available to assist in Sophie’s treatment. Just over 24 hours after Sophie was born, Dr Malenka came with the incubator to take Sophie to her MRI. Sophie had echocardiograms before and after surgery.
“The MRI was a lot less stressful for Sophie. The echocardiograms use cold jelly which Sophie did not appreciate. Being swaddled and warm in the incubator was just like being in her Intensive Care Unit bed so didn’t seem like she was actually having a test done. After all the poking and prodding our babies have to go through with having congenital heart disease the MRI is extremely beneficial as it is completely non-invasive.
The Hickie family live in Lincoln, and Leeds is the nearest specialist Unit which could help treat Sophie. Sophie is now 23 months old and is turning 2 in October.
Emma continued:
“Sophie is doing really well at the moment. She will be turning 2 next month. She is currently very nearly 23 months and will be 2 on the 26th of October.
“She went on her very first holiday abroad this year and absolutely loved it.”
We’re incredibly grateful to Johnny Abraham for funding this revolutionary piece of equipment as part of the J9 Advisory £100K Charity Challenge.
If you or your business want to get involved with a CHSF project, email corporate@chsf.org.uk
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