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A computerized system to diagnose and treat neonatal apnea using vibrotactile stimulation
Evelyn Opala Faille1, Aniruddh Setya, Leonard Eisenfeld
1University of Connecticut, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Storrs, USA.
Aim:
To develop an appropriate apparatus for monitoring physiological signals and offering noninvasive automated mechanical stimulations for interrupting apneic events in neonates.
Rationale:
Vibrotactile stimulation (VTS) maybe an effective, safer alternative to nursing hand stimulation in treating neonatal apnea. We therefore developed a new diagnostic and therapeutic instrument.
Methods:
The main components of the system are a computer running Windows XP using an AMD Athlon TM 64 processor, a neonatal physiological monitor (Model 511; CAS Medical Inc. in Branford, CT), a connector board, cable and data acquisition card (DAQ6602E), an amplifier, external lights, a tacaid vibrotactile stimulator (Audiological Engineering, Somerville, MA and a software application Labview 7.1, National Semiconductor Corporation). The device is a proof of concept at this point and has not undergone testing on neonatal patients. We have tested its ability to identify apneic events and appropriately administering vibrotactile stimulation on a 12-year-old boy with 10 simulated apnea events.
Results:
Our device functioned 100% in (1) identification of "true apnea," (2) immediate VTS function, (3) accurate monitoring, and (4) safety.
Conclusions:
Our evaluation of this system demonstrates that under simulated conditions, pauses in breathing with associated decreased oxygen levels and heart rate are identified. This new medical device has potential to diagnose and treat neonatal apnea effectively and improve the quality of care.
