女婴出生17分钟仍未呼吸 “冷冻”三天后未出现脑部损伤

A baby girl who didn't breathe for 17 minutes after birth was miraculously saved when doctors put her in a "fridge" for three days.

Sophie Fleet suffered complications at birth and swallowed fluids which caused a blockage in her airways and starved her brain of oxygen.

Doctors decided to lower Sophie's temperature from its normal 37C to 33.5C for three days in a bid to stop her brain swelling and causing brain damage.

Temperatures this low bring on hypothermia but in controlled conditions it reduces pressure on the brain, allowing it to recover from trauma.

Sophie had to wear a special "fridge" suit, which was pumped with water to keep her body cool.

Sophie's body was later warmed to normal temperature again over 12 hours.

She then had tests done which showed she had suffered mild brain damage.

Huw Jones, a consultant neonatologist at the hospital, said"This cooling treatment helps slow everything down and helps stop brain damage."

"Research and trials have shown it works and this is the optimum temperature to reduce that brain damage risk."

Doctors say only time will tell how the brain damage she suffered is going to affect her.