What do bilirubin lights do?

What do bilirubin lights do?

Phototherapy involves shining fluorescent light from the bili lights on bare skin. A specific wavelength of light can break down bilirubin into a form that the body can get rid of through the urine and stools. The light looks blue. The newborn is placed under the lights without clothes or just wearing a diaper.

How fast can bilirubin levels drop with phototherapy?

The overall rate of decrease in the bilirubin concentration for the duration of exposure to phototherapy was as follows: group 1, 0.8%±0.3% per hour; group 2, 0.6%±0.3% per hour; and group 3, 0.8%±0.3% per hour.

What kind of light is used in bili-light?

The therapy uses a blue light (420–470 nm) that converts bilirubin into a form that can be excreted in the urine and feces. Soft goggles are put on the child to reduce eye damage from the high intensity light.

What light is best for jaundice?

What light is used in phototherapy for jaundice?

• Halogen lamps: Halogen lamps produce a warm white/yellow light.
• Fluorescent tubes: Special blue fluorescent tubes produce light in the blue-green spectrum which is highly effective in penetrating the skin and is well absorbed by bilirubin.

Can Bili lights cause blindness?

In adults, prolonged exposure to blue light can cause retinal damage. Although retinal damage from phototherapy has not been reported, eye covers for newborns are standard prophylaxis.

What are the side effects of phototherapy?

The short-term side effects of phototherapy include interference with maternal-infant interaction, imbalance of thermal environment and water loss, electrolyte disturbance, bronze baby syndrome and circadian rhythm disorder.

Is phototherapy a UV light?

Phototherapy uses lightwaves to treat certain skin conditions. The skin is exposed to an ultraviolet (UV) light for a set amount of time. Phototherapy uses a man-made source of UV light. UV light also comes from the sun.

Do babies become dark after phototherapy?

With exposure to phototherapy lamps, these infants develop a dark, gray-brown discoloration of skin, urine, and serum. Although the exact etiology is not understood, this effect is thought to be the result of an accumulation of porphyrins and other metabolites.

Is bili-light UV light?

Phototherapy lights emit light in the blue-green spectrum (wavelengths 430-490nm). It is NOT ultraviolet light.

Can LED lights help jaundice?

More important, LED lamps can help treat jaundice faster than conventional phototherapy lighting—a critical difference for a condition in which every hour counts.

How long are babies under Bili Lights?

Your baby will need to be under the light for about 1 to 2 days. He may also lie on a blanket of light, called a bili-blanket. He will stay under the bili-light as much as possible. During this time, his eyes will be covered with patches because the light can damage them.