A collaboration between Philips, and researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Uganda, and MIT, has developed a device that helps to safely resuscitate asphyxiated newborns. The Philips Augmented Infant Resuscitator (AIR) attaches to nearly all manual bag-valve-mask resuscitators to measure and help regulate the aiflow delivered to the baby.
Currently, all too often manual resuscitation is unsuccessful, particularly in resource-poor areas that don’t have access to expensive equipment. Clinicians may give too much air or too little, too fast or too slow, with peak airway pressures going through the roof, often injuring the child in the process.
The Augmented Infant Resuscitator monitors whether the ventilation provided is appropriate, by measuring air flow and pressure, and gives immediate cues if the provider goes off-course. The warnings provided point to issues such as a loose mask seal, signs of a blocked airway, improper ventilation rate, and breaths that are too powerful.
The device can be used without a patient in order to train clinicians so that when used in practice, there’s no hesitation and therapy is delivered accordingly. Philips believes that its device “could reduce birth asphyxia related neonatal deaths by 30 percent, and deaths from prematurity by 10 percent,” according to the announcement.
The product is slated to be released in limited markets soon, eventually focusing on many poor and middle-income countries.
Project page: Augmented Infant Resuscitator…
Via: Philips…
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