Redesign and evaluation of a bili-wear device for treating neonatal jaundice in low and middle-income countries

Abstract

Neonatal jaundice may be classed as physiological or pathological and is principally caused by an increase in serum bilirubin during the neonatal period, which causes yellow discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes, and sclerae. Jaundice in infants is one of the most common diseases at birth. In preterm infants, the risk is more than 80%, and in term infants, the rate is reduced to about 60%. During the neonatal period, several factors, including preterm birth, exclusive breastfeeding, infection such as pulmonary and skin infections, hemolysis (due to blood type incompatibility), internal bleeding (such as cranial hematoma), hypoxia, acidosis, hypoglycemia, and genetic factors, are common causes of jaundice (Das and van Landeghem 2019). When left untreated, jaundice can result in long-term brain dysfunction. If the level of bilirubin becomes very high, it may affect some of the baby's brain cells. This may cause the baby to be less active. In rare cases, a baby may develop seizures (convulsions). The effects of this kind of jaundice may also lead to deafness, cerebral palsy, and mental retardation(Battersby et al. 2017). To solve these problems, we team elites developed a wearable phototherapy device which can be wrapped around the neonate and help in reducing on the amount bilirubin.