In order to conduct the groundbreaking medical research planned in the Safer Births study, Laerdal Global Health in cooperation with Laerdal Medical AS is developing products that will be used for this research.The first product in the pipeline is the Laerdal Newborn Resuscitation Monitor developed by Laerdal Medical AS.
The monitor has sensors on the newborn bag, that measures flow, pressure, volume and expiratory CO2 while resuscitating. It also has a specially developed ECG based Newborn Heart Rate Sensor using dry electrodes to capture the newborn heart rate as little as 5seconds after birth. The heart rate will be displayed on the monitor, providing objective feedback to the midwife performing the resuscitation.
Today, ECG and pulse oximetry uses more than one minute before heart rate can be displayed. All ECG and respiratory signaldata will be collected and analyzed. These data will give us insight in physiological cardio-respiratory transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life, generate new knowledge about patho-physiological changes, and the best parametres and indicators of adequate bag mask ventilation.
The monitor is now going through its final testing and all goes according to plan it will be available for use in Safer Births study in Haydom Lutheran Hospital within the summer 2013. “We hope that this research will help set specifications for a low-cost product that will give more targeted feedback on display to help the midwife improve bagmask ventilation” Says Helge Myklebust, Director of Strategic Research at Laerdal.