Comparison study of two methods of phototherapy for the very-low-birth-weight infant

The purpose of this study is to examine the utility and possible benefits of the Wallaby Phototherapy Unit in the very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infant. Twenty-seven VLBW infants were randomly assigned to the Wallaby System FSMED401 or the Healthdyne PT1400 Spotlight Unit group. The Wallaby group experienced significantly higher bilirubin levels at 24 and 48 hours, possibly due to the combination of the Wallaby panel design and the restricted body surface area of the VLBW infant. Weight loss at 24 hours was significantly less in the Wallaby group and they also required a smaller change in servo control temperatures at 24 hours, indicating a more stable body temperature. These findings do support further study of the utilization of better designed fiberoptic phototherapy units with a uniform irradiance across the fiberoptic panel in the VLBW population. The use of the Wallaby Phototherapy System is not recommended for the VLBW infant.