Jaundice is the most common condition requiring medical attention in newborns.

The yellow coloration of the skin and sclera in newborns with jaundice is the result of accumulation of unconjugated bilirubin. In some infants serum bilirubin levels may raise excessively, which can be cause for concern as unconjugated bilirubin is neurotoxic and can cause death in newborns and lifelong neurologic sequelae in infants who survive (kernicterus).

Incidences of hyperbilirubinemia are common, with almost every infant born developing increased unconjugated serum bilirubin levels during the first week of their lives.
Phototherapy is the primary treatment in neonates with unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. The principal was discovered in England in the 1950s and now is arguably the most widespread therapy of any kind (excluding prophylactic treatments) used in newborns.

The effect of using blue light to treat newborn jaundice is well proven and has been in practice for over 40 years as a regularly used photo therapy effect. Phototherapy reduces the risk of bilirubin-induced neurotoxicity as soon as the lights are turned on. There are many considerations in choosing the most appropriate apparatus for phototherapy including:

Wavelength: Bilirubin absorbs between 450nm-470nm with the peak level believed to be 458nm by many. The ability for the light to penetrate the skin is also important at in practice white, blue and green wavelengths are used to produce the phototherapy effect

Dose: a dose response relationship exists between the reduction of serum bilirubin and the amount of irradiation, up to a light intensity level of 30-40uW/cm2/nm.
Working Distance: it is estimated no lighting device should be operated more than 20 inches away from the neonate, with many systems being used at approximately 10cm away from the infant.

At this working distance (10cm) it is extremely difficult to care and actively monitor the infant and therefore devices with a working distance of approximately 15-18inches working distance from the infant, with high intensity are optimal.

Light Energy delivery: A homogenous irradiation level is required over the whole area of the crib or bassinet to be effective. Quartz Halide spotlight phototherapy devices are maximal at the centre of the light circle and decrease sharply towards the perimeter of the circle. Large or active neonates who move away from the circle centre will receive marginal ineffective phototherapy effects. Lower powered devices which require to be used at very close proximity can affect the ambient temperature of the neonate’s environment and also cause greater concern to the on looking parent.

At Enfis it is possible to manufacture Neonatal light engines in many different formats and wavelengths to fulfill customer requirements.

LED arrays & light engines developed and manufactured to fit into customer neonatal products with the benefits to the customer being that the Enfis light engines are significantly smaller, lighter in weight, emit higher intensity light (if required) and also have a significantly longer light source lifetime than conventional phototherapy systems available today.

LED systems are now taking hold of the neonatal phototherapy marketplace.

Please contact Enfis to discuss you Neonatal LED light engine and array requirements