Helping young patients in Ivano-Frankivsk

Despite the war, life goes on and babies are born. According to the Ministry of Justice, 26,653 babies have been born in Ukraine since the war began. Most newborns are born in Lviv, Dnepropetrovsk, Odessa, Vinnitsa, Transcarpathian and Ivano-Frankivsk regions. It is the western regions that are now sheltering many migrants, and children's hospitals are under great strain.

The medical system is not always up to the task and requires additional equipment. Our mission is to help the intensive care and early rehabilitation department of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast Children's Hospital. The goal is to purchase two pulse oximeters and 5 saturation sensors.

Neonatal pulse oximeter is used to monitor vital signs in preterm infants. In 76% of cases this method of examination allows to suspect cardiac defects immediately after birth. Currently, the simplicity and efficiency of infant cardiac pathology diagnostics is unparalleled among screening methods of pulse oximetry. The medical pulse oximeter for children is designed to determine the pulse and measure the oxygen level in the arterial blood of small patients. Doctors know how difficult it can be to obtain such parameters, especially if invasive methods are used.

This method of examination allows you to monitor the oxygen saturation of the blood. During breathing, air is absorbed by the most powerful capillary network and is distributed through the body by the flow of arterial blood when the heart contracts. Oxygen by itself is not able to move, it is helped by red blood cells. The hemoglobin in each bloodstream can hold up to four SpO2 molecules. The average oxygen saturation of red blood cells is called saturation. If all four molecules are connected, this parameter will be 100%. In a normal situation, it is enough if the saturation is 95-98%.

The readings are taken instantly, but the error in the measurements of the respiratory and cardiovascular system functions is almost zero. Pulse oximeter is successfully used to nurse every premature baby. Their number in the department should be equal to the number of young patients. The device for prematurity has an alarm sensor to notify medical personnel in the event of a significant decrease in blood oxygen levels, which may promptly be able to save the lives of babies.

An important element of pulse oximeters are saturation sensors. They are attached to the baby and monitor how much oxygen the blood is saturated. With this data, the doctor or nurse can adjust the percentage of oxygen given to the baby based on each child's individual needs. Another very important thing is that premature babies often have respiratory arrests (apneas). They can be physiological, due to immaturity and pathological. This condition can be fatal, and with the pulse oximeter signal, respiratory arrest can be recognized immediately and the necessary measures can be taken to ensure that the child begins to breathe again. Subsequently, these sensors need to be replaced, they fail. That is why we are trying to buy five new sensors for the existing pulse oximeters in the hospital.

Life goes on, and we believe that the little Ukrainians have a better future. And in the meantime we will help our doctors to save their lives.