Tawam Hospital, a tertiary care facility in Al Ain, in affiliation with US-based Johns Hopkins Medicine, has introduced a pioneering therapy to its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

The technology, known as Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist (Nava), is a new mode of assisted mechanical ventilation that enables the brain of the patient, in this case a premature baby, to control the mechanical ventilator.

Nava technology uses electrical diaphragmatic activity (EDA) to adjust ventilator support according to a patient’s personal needs.

The mechanical ventilator senses the electrical signal transmitted from the brain to the diaphragm; the muscle below the lungs vital for breathing. The synchrony between the patient and ventilator helps minimize patient discomfort and thereby reduces the need for sedatives.

“With the cooperation of the nurses and physician trainers, the respiratory therapists have successfully managed to put this groundbreaking therapy into operation,” said Edita Almonte, department head of respiratory therapy.

“We are proud to be the first UAE hospital with this new Nava technology, especially as it is helping some of our smallest and most vulnerable patients to breathe more easily,” he added.

Electrical diaphragmatic activity (EDI) is often considered by many researchers as “the new vital sign” in critical care medicine, a statement said.

Nava provides a unique means for physicians to diagnose and monitor various types of breathing disorders encountered in the intensive care unit, it added.

“Nava offers optimal lung protection and greater safety for newborn infants who require mechanical ventilation,” said Dr Aiman Rahmani, head of pediatrics.

“As a result of this new support system, several neonates with critical respiratory illness have seen their breathing dramatically improve over the last few weeks,” he added.

Nava technology is provided by Maquet Critical Care AB, one of the leading providers of medical products, therapies and services for operating rooms ICUs.

Tawam Hospital is part of the Seha Health System and is owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) which is responsible for the curative activities of all the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. – TradeArabia News Service