AU599952B2 - Device for prolapsed cord during delivery - Google Patents

Description

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6017,/637 Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodgeo: COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: PH4374 30 January 1986 PA Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: Name of Applicant: JOHN DUMERGUE CHARTERS FE1 STAMP TO VALUI OF .MAI O 4 ATIACHED MAIL OFFICES Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: 8 Sayer Street, Midland, Western Australia 6056, Australia JOHN DUMERGUE CHARTERS Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys, Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia It I W 4" tt t Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "DEVICE FOR PROLAPSED CORD DURING DELIVERY" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us SBR/JAP 0096T -1- The present invention relates to a device to and in the minimisation of the likelihood of a child being injured during birth. More particularly the present invention is an umbilical cord shield used to protect the umbilical cord during birth of a child.

During birth of a child, if the umbilical cord is compressed there is a risk of death or brain damageo o the baby from an anoxia.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a means of reducing the likelihood that the umbilical cord is compressed during or before delivery of a baby.

There is disclosed herein an umbilical cord shield to be located at least partially within a woman's birth canal for use during birth of a baby, said shield comprising a resilient body at least a portion of which is adapted to conform to the internal profile of the birth canal whilst still permitting the baby to pass therethrough without sustaining injury, said body providing at least one elongated open passage which is in use extends longitudinally of the birth canal for a major portion of the length thereof, which passage receives the umbilical cord to inhibit compression thereof and has opposing transversely spaced side portions between which the cord passes to be located within the passage, and wherein the resilience of said body maintains said side portions so that the side portions cannot close over the cord, thereby maintaining exposure of the cord to the surrounding birth canal.

There is further disclosed herein an umbilical cord shield to be located in a woman's birth canal during birth of a baby, comprising: a flexible, resilient body, at least a portion of which is shaped to fit within a woman's birth canal during birth of a baby while still permitting the baby to pass through the birth canal; and at least one open channel for receiving the baby's umbilical cord when the portion of the body is within the birth canal, the channel i'i 30 being defined In the portion of the body generally straight across the e portion of the body for orientation longitudinally of the birth canal when the portion of the body is within the birth canal, the portion of the body defining the slot having sufficient stiffness to be effective for preventing closing of the slot and inhibiting compression of the baby's umbilical cord in the slot and between the baby and the birth canal as the baby passes through the birth canal past the Aportion of the body therein, there also being no other slot-closing means i for closing the slot.

2- A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a schematic end elevation of a woman's birth canal with a baby's head located therein and an umbilical shield through which the umbilical cord passes; Fig. 2 is a schematic side elevation of the umbilical cord shield of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a schematic side elevation of an alternative umbilical cord shield to that of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a schematic side elevation of a still further umbilical cord shield to that shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5 is a schematic top plan view of the shield of Fig. 1; ,t Fig. 6 is a schematic end elevation of the shield of Fig. 1; c Fig. 7 is a schematic part-sectioned side elevation of a portion of S"I6 the shield of Fig. t. Fig. 8 is a schematic part-sectioned side elevation of a portion of the shield of Fig. Fig. S is a schematic perspective view of the shield of Fig. 5 with an umbilical cord extending therethrough; and Fig. 10 is a schematic plan view of an alternative construction to the umbilical shield of Fig. 1.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 5 to 8 there is schematically depicted an umbilical cord shield 10 to be located within the birth canal 9. The shield it j DG:10071 06 j;~u a it consists of a body 11 which is formed of,flexIble material and which is preferably resilient. For example, the body 11 could be formed of silicon rubber or plastics material. The body 11 is generally crescent shaped so as to fit the contour of the canal and'the shape of the baby's head 12.

The body 11 provides two passages 13 through which the umbilical cord 14 passes. The passages 13 extend along the body 11 so as to extend generally longitudinally of the canal I for at least a portion thereof. Preferably, the body 11 would extend from the outer side of the pelvis to the inner aspect of the uterus well above the inlet of the pelvis. The passages 13 would preferably extend the entire length of the body 11.

The body 11 could also be provided with one or more projections 15 to aid in locating the shield 10, or alternatively straps 16 which could also aid in locating the body 11 in position. The passages could be U-shaped, as best seen in Fig. 7, or alternatively C-shaped so as to define a neck 17. The neck 17 aiding to retain the umbilical cord 14 in position extending longitudinally of the passages 13.

In Fig. 3 the shield 30 is of a similar construction to the shield previously described, however the passages 31, in the body 32 are located so as to face outward and towards the inner surface of the canal 9. This t^ is in contrast to Fig. 2, wherein the passages are opened towards the C t, baby's head 12.

i1 «In Fig. 4 the shield 40 has one passage 41 facing inward while the other passage 42 faces outward.

In Fig. 10 there is schematically depicted an umbilical cord shield

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l 550 consisting of a generally rigid base 51 having arms 52. The arms 52 are generally parallel but transversely spaced and are covered for at least a part of their length with a flexible resilient pad 53. Passages 54 are defined between the pads 53, which passages 54 receive the umbilical cord 14.

In use of the above described umbilical cord shields, when the cord Is found to be prolapsed, instead of attempting to reduce or return the S, cord to the uterus, the cord is pulled gently out to its full extent. The cord is then Inserted Into the passages, for example the passages 13 of the shield 10, and the device then inserted into the birth canal. Insertion of the device Is carried out while still maintaining gentle traction on the cord loop. Gentle traction is maintained on the cord loop so that the 1sections of the cord which extend through the pelvis remain in the passages with no excess cord being located at the inlet of the pelvis or in the i i~ pelvis. Once in position the cord should reman there with the component of «RMV/214W 3 A U'2 ei c a

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i the cord which is nearest the placenta traversing one groove and then the other component of the cord returning to the baby from the outside line in the other passage. The bodies 11, 32 and pads 53 need to be deeper, so as to extend beyond the diameter of the cord so as to accept the full pressure of the head on the pelvis and thus reduce the possibility of any appreciable pressure being exerted on the cord, and the subsequent risk of compression of the blood vessels.

If the presentation of the baby is a breach, then only one of the two passages in the body may be required.

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Claims (7)

1. An umbilical cord shield to be located at least partially within a woman's birth canal for use during birth of a baby, said shield comprising a resilient body at least a portion of which is adapted to conform to the internal profile of the birth canal whilst still permitting the baby to pass therethrough without sustaining injury, said body providing at least one elongated open passage which is in use extends longitudinally of the birth canal for a major portion of the length thereof, which passage receives the umbilical cord to inhibit compression thereof and has opposing transversely spaced side portions between which the cord passes to be located within the passage, and wherein the resilience of said body maintains said side portions so that the side portions cannot close over the cord, thereby maintaining exposure of the cord to the surrounding birth canal.

2. The umbilical cord of claim 1 wherein there are two longitudinal passages. C CC,

3. The umbilical cord shield of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said body is crescent shaped so as to fit the internal profile of the birth canal an the configuration of the baby's head, and said body is of a unitary construction.

4. The umbilical cord shield of claim 2 wherein said body comprises a self supporting forked member providing three generally parallel padded lC C arms having said side portions thereon, between respective adjacent pairs Scc of which said passages extend, said portions in use fitting within the birth canal.

An umbilical cord shield to be located in a woman's birth canal Sduring birth, comprising: a flexible, resilient body, at least a portion of which is shaped to fit within a woman's birth canal during birth of a baby while still permitting the baby to pass through the birth canal; and at least one open slot for receiving the baby's umbilical cord when the portion of the body is within the birth canal, the slot being defined In the portion of the body generally straight along the portion of the body for orientation longitudinally of the birth canal when the portion of the body Is within the birth canal, KLN/16921 *1 ~2 -6 the portion of the body defining the slot having sufficient stiffness to be effective for preventing closing of the slot and inhibiting compression of the baby's umbilical cord in the slot and between the baby and the birth canal as the baby passes through the birth canal past the portion of the body therein, there also being no other slot-closing means for closing the slot.

6. An umbilical cord shield substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

7. An umbilical cord shield substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 10 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this SIXTH day of NOVEMBER 1989 John Dumergue Charters Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON C 6 1 *C e t ~OKLN/16921 S Ls j/ ev#' A S