First Xenon Gas Treatment Given to Newborn to Prevent Brain Injury
A British newborn baby was the first ever to receive xenon gas, a treatment used to prevent brain injury. This medical breakthrough was developed by the University of Bristol’s Professor Marianne Thoresen and was performed at St. Michael’s Hospital – a component of the University of Bristol NHL Foundation Trust.
Riley Joyce did not have a pulse and was not breathing when he was delivered through emergency Caesarian section at the Royal United Hospital in Bath. Due to a 50:50 chance of suffering from brain injury for life, he was transferred to St. Michael’s Hospital in Bristol.
Although the xenon gas treatment was experimental, Riley’s parents agreed to the procedure. Fortunately, the infant survived and is now doing well.
Every year in the UK, over 1,000 newborn babies die or suffer from brain injury because of insufficient supply of oxygen or blood. If a baby does survive, he or she may suffer from lifelong problems like cerebral palsy.
Since 1998, St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Bristol have been developing treatments for brain injury in newborns. It started when Professor Thoresen cooled babies due to a lack of oxygen. This technique has proven helpful in reducing the risks of damage in the newborn brain.