A novel obstetric medical device designed for autotransfusion of blood in life threatening postpartum haemorrhage

Abstract

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is an obstetric emergency caused by excessive blood loss after delivery, which is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. PPH can lead to volume depletion, hypovolemic shock, anaemia and ultimately death. The prevalence of PPH is disproportionately higher in low resource settings where there is limited access to skilled medical care and safe blood supplies. Current management strategies target both prevention and treatment of PPH however no alternatives currently exist to address the lack of safe blood supplies which are considered essential in emergency obstetrical care. Autotransfusion is used to salvage blood loss in a variety of clinical settings but has never been used in the context of vaginal delivery. We describe the development and testing of a novel device for the collection, filtration and autotransfusion of blood lost due to PPH. The prototype device is inexpensive and easily operated so that it may be practically deployed in low resource settings. The device is comprised of a blood collection drape, a pump apparatus, three leukocyte reduction filters and a reservoir for filtered blood. Preliminary testing demonstrates efficacy of microbial load reduction of up to 97.3%. To reduce cost and improve safety, the device is modular in design such that the drape, tubing, filters and transfusion bag may be stored sterile, used once and discarded; while the pump apparatus may be used indefinitely without the need for sterilisation. Preliminary results indicate the device confers a low cost and potentially effective means of collecting, pumping, filtering and returning blood to a patient following PPH in settings that lack safe blood supplies. This device shows promise as a method of stabilising patients suffering of PPH in low resource settings until definitive treatment is rendered with the ultimate goal of reducing maternal mortality globally.

Keywords:

• Postpartum haemorrhage
• autotransfusion
• medical device
• obstetrics
• global health

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

UIC Chancellor's DiscoveryUIC Chancellor's Innovation Fund Proof-of-Concept Awards ProgramUIC Chancellors Discovery Fund For Multidisciplinary ResearchThis project has been funded by the UIC Chancellor’s Discovery Fund for Multidisciplinary Research and the UIC Chancellor’s Innovation Fund Proof-of-Concept Awards Program.