LifeWrap suit to treat PPH

Still In Development Last Update: March 01, 2012
Lifewrap, Bixby, shock garment, NASG, NAISG, Path,

Suellen was on the radio the other day, talking about the LifeWrap (Here Women Talk Radio Network, interviewed by Deb Colitti, host of 'Life on Purpose' Radio. Aired Tuesday 14th December and online to listen at www.lifeonpurposeradio.com

The team has now moved into Phase 3 in all of their sites in Zambia and Zimbabwe, the final phase of their RCT into use of the LifeWrap at low level health care facilities

2 newest publications from the LifeWrap team:
See the Maternova blog "What if you could buy time?" summarizing the results.
The full citation is now: Miller S, Ojengbede O, Turan JM, Morhason-Bello IO, Martin HB, Nsima D. A comparative study of the non-pneumatic anti-shock garment for the treatment of obstetric hemorrhage in Nigeria. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. Volume 107, Issue 2, Pages 121-125 (November 2009) PubMed PMID: 19628207
The citation is: Miller S, Fathalla MM, Youssif MM, Turan J, Camlin C, Al-Hussaini TK, Butrick E, Meyer C. A comparative study of the non-pneumatic anti-shock garment for the treatment of obstetric hemorrhage in Egypt. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2010 Jan 21. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 20096836
 

Maternal mortality is responsible for over 530,000 deaths globally every year. Obstetric hemorrhage contributes to the greatest proportion of maternal deaths and, in developing regions of the world, women die because there are often long delays between the occurrence of hemorrhage and treatment. The 'LifeWrap' is a simple neoprene and Velcro device (much like the bottom half of a wet suit). It is a non-pneumatic anti-shock garment (NASG) designed for people with lower body trauma that has been re-purposed for obstetrical hemorrhage in low resource countries. The LifeWrap continuously and safely applies lower body counter pressure to stabilize women suffering from obstetric hemorrhage, effect resuscitation and arrest further bleeding. After a simple training session, anyone can put the garment on a bleeding woman. Once her bleeding has stopped, she can be safely transported from a home birth or primary health care center to a referral facility for emergency obstetrical care. Initial pilot studies in Egypt show a reduction of 69% of deaths among hemorrhaging women who wore life-wrap suits. This device is in clinical trials and as the data is analyzed, the team is publishing results. We plan to follow this technology as it moves through clinical trials.