Uterine EMG and Stimulation Control for Early PPH Intervention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems fail to comprehensively monitor and predict postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in maternal patients, often leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment, as they do not effectively evaluate multiple risk factors and identify high-risk patients until significant bleeding occurs.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes an ultrasound system to scan the uterus, EMG electrodes to monitor uterine muscle activity, and a control system to deliver stimulation pulses based on EMG data to stimulate uterine contraction, combined with cardiac and labor monitoring, to proactively identify PPH risk factors and facilitate early intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If routine administration of medication is used to prevent PPH, then prevention is attempted, but PPH is difficult to predict and can occur without risk factors
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of PPH risk factors before childbirth occurs, evaluating multiple parameters including maternal history, labor progress, and clinical signs to identify high-risk patients in advance, enabling proactive prevention strategies rather than reactive treatment
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors labor progress and clinical parameters, providing real-time feedback on PPH risk status that allows dynamic adjustment of prevention strategies and early intervention when risk thresholds are exceeded
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive monitoring of multiple risk factors is implemented, then early identification of high-risk patients is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system is designed to evaluate multiple PPH risk factors using a unified platform that integrates maternal history review, labor progress tracking, clinical sign monitoring, and risk calculation algorithms, allowing comprehensive assessment without requiring separate specialized devices for each parameter
Solution Approach 2:
The risk assessment is divided into discrete evaluable components including maternal risk factors, labor progression indicators, and clinical examination findings, each of which can be independently monitored and combined to generate an overall risk profile
3Loss of time
If delayed diagnosis and treatment of PPH occur, then severity of bleeding increases, but early intervention requires advanced monitoring capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The system identifies PPH risk factors and warns of potential hemorrhage before significant bleeding occurs, enabling clinicians to prepare intervention resources in advance and implement preventive measures during the at-risk period
Solution Approach 2:
Real-time monitoring of labor progress and clinical parameters provides continuous feedback on changing PPH risk status, allowing early alert when risk thresholds are exceeded so that intervention can be initiated before severe hemorrhage develops
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables proactive identification of PPH risk factors, allowing for early intervention and prevention or mitigation of severe bleeding by stimulating uterine contraction, thereby reducing maternal mortality.
Implementation Method 1
a stimulator connected to at least two of the plurality of surface electrodes and configured to generate stimulation pulses between at least two of the plurality of surface electrodes
Implementation Method 2
an EMG monitor configured to obtain EMG data from the plurality of surface electrodes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A system and method for stimulating a uterine muscle of a maternal patient after childbirth includes operating a plurality of surface electrodes configured to be disposed on an abdomen of a maternal patient and a stimulator connected to at least two of the plurality of surface electrodes and configured to generate stimulation pulses between at least two of the plurality of surface electrodes. A control system is configured to control the stimulator to deliver a plurality of stimulation pulses via the plurality of surface electrodes to the maternal abdomen to stimulate the uterine muscle of the maternal patient, such as to cause uterine shrinkage after childbirth.