Around two million children are stillborn every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 84% in low-income countries and 40% of cases are caused by complications during childbirth. To avoid some of these problems, a team of engineers and doctors from University College London (UCL) have developed a sensor-printed surgical glove to help doctors and midwives during difficult deliveries, thereby reducing newborn mortality. The device makes it possible to detect the position of the fetus and the force exerted during palpation. Its production costs around one euro.
Carmen Salvadores (León, 25 years old), a mechanical engineer and co-leader of the project, points out that the most expensive thing is the gloves themselves, “something that hospitals already buy anyway”. One of its strengths is “ease of manufacture,” meaning the sensors will work with any material used to make surgical gloves, so it doesn’t necessarily have to be latex, the researcher adds.
During testing, they put a sterile glove on the one with the sensors to ensure it could be used under the hygiene and sterilization conditions required in hospitals, and they saw that it worked exactly the same. “We’ve always wanted it to adapt perfectly to what doctors normally do,” explains Salvadores, who is doing his PhD at UCL with a fellowship from the La Caixa Foundation. They have also made the sensors as thin as possible in order to increase ease of use: “The doctor can always feel and do everything the same because he doesn’t notice, as if nothing is wrong. “
Carmen Salvadores tests the glove with sensors at LaborWEISS Center University College London
The team of doctors and engineers developed prototype fetal heads to test the device’s effectiveness. During palpation, the sensors help identify the fontanelles (the softer parts of the baby’s head where the skull bones are not yet connected). “When he finds one, the doctor does a vaginal examination around it and uses the glove to confirm whether it’s the front or the back. [de la cabeza] to be able to orientate oneself.”
The glove with the sensors can be connected to a computer or a mobile phone via Bluetooth. This last case was designed for low-income countries “that may not have the necessary computers or data collection systems,” says the Leon woman. The team’s engineers are also working on a small device worn on the wrist like a bracelet to send data to the cellphone.
When wearing the glove, two images appear on the screen: one shows a red diamond (front of the head) or a green triangle (back): “Right now [los médicos] They have a lot of things to be aware of and they told us they wanted something very simple to know where they are.” The other image is a traffic light showing the force the doctor is applying to the scan and It warns when it is exceeded. As well as distinguishing different areas on the baby’s head, these sensors can also detect other abnormalities in the mother’s anatomy.
Currently, hospitals have ultrasound machines that allow doctors to determine the position of the baby in the womb. However, there may be times when you don’t have time to look for one or it might not be available, the researcher says. “It was all about: How can you give a quick indication of the baby’s orientation?”
We wanted it to be as comfortable as possible and to please the patients
Carmen Salvadores, Mechanical Engineer at WEISS Center University College London
Throughout the research process, they consulted and evaluated the ideas of a group of mothers who had complicated births to find out if they would accept the glove and how they would prefer the design: “We wanted it to be as comfortable as possible and for patients like it”. With the device, they want to improve safety during birth, but also comfort.
These women complained that during childbirth they had to perform numerous vaginal examinations to find out the position of the baby, with the associated discomfort. “They always told us that they wanted to reduce the number of examinations,” explains the engineer.
The first results can be seen in an article published in Frontiers magazine last January. The glove has been tested 100 times and was absolutely effective in detecting fontanelles every time. When they’re touched, the sensors recognize them because they switch from a harder touch to a softer one, says the engineer.
[Los estudiantes de medicina] You will be able to practice with people because even if they make a mistake, it will prevent a serious mistake
Carmen Salvadores, Mechanical Engineer at WEISS Center University College London
This first test was conducted by fellow project leader Shireen Jaufuraully, an obstetrician. The next step, Salvadores said, is for other doctors with different levels of training to test the device in prototypes. “We will work with medical students who have never had a vaginal examination, with midwives, with doctors who have just graduated and with very experienced specialists,” says Salvadores.
The aim of this variety in the training levels is to verify the usefulness of the sensorized glove in the “training” of the toilets. “Everyone has their tactile perception and it’s very difficult to teach someone how to assess a vaginal exam or how much force to use.” Researchers believe this is one of the uses of the glove that can have the greatest impact. If it works effectively in all studies, “they will be able to practice directly with people because even if they make a mistake, it will prevent a serious mistake,” he concludes.
you can follow THE COUNTRY Health and well-being on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.