Non-invasive, cot-side device could prevent brain injury deaths

The device, called miniCYRIL, monitors signs of brain injury in newborn babies and provides doctors with life-saving information

Neonatal encephalopathy, sometimes referred to as birth asphyxia, is where a baby’s supply of oxygen is interrupted during birth. It can result in brain damage or death and is a leading cause of disability in the UK. 

A new non-invasive, cot-side device called miniCYRIL  can provide a marker of brain injury severity very early after birth, allowing clinical teams to quickly treat the infant. It uses a miniature broadband near-infrared spectroscopy (bNIRS) system to measure brain tissue changes that might indicate injury. 

The instrument was by Dr Ilias Tachtsidis (UCL Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering) and the Multimodal Spectroscopy research group. Ilias is a Wellcome Trust Senior Fellow. 

Related links:

• UCL medical device could save “thousands of babies” from brain damage and death