Expressing that infants, who experience oxygen deprivation at or near the time of birth, have a brain injury risk which can result in mental or physical disabilities or even infant death, Associate Professor Doctor Ceyhun Dalkan, Specialist Doctor at the Neonatology Division of the Pediatric Department of the Near East University Hospital, underlines that the therapeutic hypothermia, which is a cutting-edge treatment used to eliminate or minimize the risks by cooling the whole body, is available only at the Near East University Hospital across the country.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan; “Lack of oxygen to the brain can result in death or permanent brain damage.”
Expressing that lack of oxygen to the brain due to various reasons, and without immediate treatment, infants are at risk of not only severe brain and organ damage but death as well, Near East University Hospital Pediatric and Newborn Intensive Care Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan notes that many babies, who experienced severe neonatal brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation, have not been able to survive so far, and that most of the survivors have had mental and physical permanent damage.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan; "Therapeutic hypothermia device is available only at the Near East University Hospital in TRNC"
Stating that the therapeutic hypothermia device, which is used to help slow down and stop the injury process associated with oxygen deprivation at or near the time of birth, and which is a first-end technology device globally accepted as gold standard treatment for infants experienced oxygen deprivation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan underlines that this cutting-edge device, which is available only at Near East Hospital in TRNC, has been in the service in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as of March.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan; "The purpose of Whole Body Cooling is to prevent the fluid accumulation in the brain and minimize the death of the nerve cells."
Noting that oxygen deprivation occurs around in one to six infants out of every1000 births, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan indicates that this situation may have risks result in permanent mental and physical disabilities or even in fatality. Expressing that the body temperature of the infant, who experience oxygen deprivation at birth, is cooled down to 33.5 degrees Celsius throughout the therapeutic hypothermia process, Associate Professor Doctor Ceyhun Dalkan states that pediatric and neonatal staff closely monitor vital signs like respiration, oxygenation, heart rate and the electrical activity of the brain during the treatment procedure. He underlines that whole body cooling aims to prevent brain fluid accumulation and minimize the death of brain cells by slowing down the metabolic rate and reducing energy using and allowing cells more time to recover from neurological damage.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan: “Treatments performed within the first 6 hours of birth provide much more successful results".
Stating that cooling the whole body of the infant, who experience oxygen deprivation during the time of birth, also protects other organs such as the heart and kidney from similar damage, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan indicates that whole body cooling system is the most reliable treatment method to prevent and minimize brain and organ damage that may result in death and mental or physical disabilities. "The success of neonatal therapeutic hypothermia, which is available only in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Near East University Hospital across the country, is closely associated with timely treatment. Treatments performed ideally within the first 6 hours of birth provide much more successful outcomes. Necessary measures should be taken before and during the birth and effective and new revitalization principles should be applied by experienced teams. Whole body cooling system that performed within the first 6 hours of birth ensures a healthier life for infants, who are at risk of death or developing disability due to oxygen deprivation at birth. This treatment method, which is used commonly all over the world, has now started to be used in the NICU of Near East University Hospital. With this novel treatment, mortality and the rate of mental and physical disability due to oxygen deprivation can be reduced” noted he.