BLUI BLANKET, A PHOTOTHERAPY BLANKET FOR PATIENTS WITH NEONATAL JAUNDICE – A RESULT OF UI SCIENTISTS’ RESEARCH
As many as 60% of newborns with adequate gestational age experience clinical symptoms of jaundice (jaundice) in the first week of their lives. The prevalence data in Indonesia is recorded at 13.2 – 58%. Treatment of babies with jaundice through conventional irradiation has limitations, because it separates mother and baby, constraints on exclusive breastfeeding, causes costs to use inpatient rooms, and is less portable. The use of phototherapy blankets with fiber optics is currently very limited and the procurement is quite expensive.
This is the reason why the use of light emitting diode phototherapy blankets can be considered as an alternative method. The light emitting diode phototherapy blanket is a simplified tool because the blanket is easy to roll up, carry and move, and is light in weight, making it easier to distribute and use it in all primary health facilities in Indonesia. Those six things are the urgency for researchers to conduct research to develop and assess the side effects and effectiveness of LED phototherapy blankets in the treatment of neonatal jaundice.
The research that was conducted by UI lecturers produced BLUI Blanket, a portable phototherapy blanket device used in patients with neonatal jaundice (hyperbilirubinemia). BLUI brand stands for Blue Light Universitas Indonesia, a product of collaborative innovation between FKM UI and FT UI. This innovation was researched and developed by dr. Tubagus Ferdi Fadilah, SpA., M.Kes (FKM UI/FK Trisakti University), Prof. dr. Asri Adisasmita, MPH., M. Phil., Ph.D (FKM UI), Prof. Dr. Ir. Raldi Artono Koestoer DEA (FT UI), Ibnu Roihan, ST., MT (FT UI), Dr. dr. Johanes Edy Siswanto, Sp.A (K), Ph.D (PKIAN RSAB Harapan Kita/FK UPH). The research had been going on since 2019.
BLUI Blanket is the first domestically made phototherapy blanket device that meets the product test method requirements of the Jakarta Health Facility Security Center (BPFK) with various test criteria including electrical safety measurements, performance testing, light intensity testing, mattress temperature testing, and reliability testing by turning it on for 14 days nonstop. The tool has been declared to have passed the test and received a test certificate on February 21, 2022 from BPFK, the Ministry of Health of Indonesia.
Most of the therapies given today still use conventional phototherapy tools. In some hospitals, the tools that are often used are phototherapy fluorescent tube lamps and LED projector lamps.
The use of phototherapy with phototherapy blankets has advantages compared to conventional ones, which is in terms of comfort and bonding between the baby and the mother, as well as the ease of giving direct breastfeeding. Nevertheless, in some cases, the phototherapy blankets that are currently available still have drawbacks, including their quite expensive prices. Due to these limitations, this research focuses on developing a simple phototherapy blanket using an LED circuit to make it an effective alternative method.
Apart from being able to reduce production costs, the simplification of this tool has advantages, such as the blankets are easy to roll up, carry, and move; have a light weight; produce radiation that is more even; is flexible to be placed closer to the baby and to make the distribution and the use easy in all Primary Health Facilities in Indonesia so that it can benefit the wider community. For these reasons, the researchers developed LED BLUI Blanket (phototherapy blanket). Compared to standard forms of phototherapy, BLUI Blanket uses blue light LED sheets with a wavelength of 450-470 nm as a light source, making it more flexible and lightweight, allowing it to be taken to health facilities anywhere, even for use at home. BLUI Blanket system consists of three components: an LED illuminator, a blanket wrap, and a dacron pad as a soft mattress for babies.
The last two materials can be washed and reused, so they remain hygienic and economical. Furthermore, in order to be scientifically justified, a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) study will be carried out in this BLUI Blanket to assess the effectiveness of BLUI phototherapy blankets compared to conventional phototherapy devices in babies with neonatal jaundice.
