THE DCAR (DYNAMIC CONTINUOUS AIR-FLOW REG ISTRATOR) - A NEW DEVICE FOR NONINVASIVE REGISTRATION OF BREATHFLOW - A METHOD THAT ALLOWS THE CONTINUOUS RECORDING OF THE VITAL PARAMETERS BREATHING AND HEARTBEAT OF NEONATES IN COMBINATION WITH A CARDIO-TOCO-GRAPH (CTG)

The objectives considered in designing the DCAR were a cost effective, non-invasive monitoring device that produces an uninterrupted record of heartrate and breathpattern of newborns. As recording device we use the CTG which is available in all delivery departments, familiar to s taff and parents and helped us to keep the costs low. Using two electr odes the heartrate can easily be measured via the ECG-socket. In order to measure the breath-flow we developed a sensor out of a plastic tub e with small openings. Air expelled from the nostrils generates non-eq ual-phase tubulances which correlate to the breathvolume. Two micropho nes at the end of the tube sense the turbulences and transform them in to signals that the DCAR filters and amplifies. The remaining signal i s transmitted via the Toco-socket to the CTG where it records a sinuso idal wave according to depth and length of a single breath. Signals of disturbance from the environment or from touching the sensor can easi ly be eliminated by phase-compensation. the tube is led in a loop loos ely around the nose and attached by a ribbon around the forehead, whic h was well tolerated by over 200 newborns we applied it to, the accept ance by parents and staff is very good, because it is a non-invasive m ethod and the technique of using microphones does not cause fears. the only a few pennies expensive sensor is to us a good alternative to th ermistors which are expensive and susceptible. The produced heart/airf low pattern was an additional help with the decision wheather to trans fer the newborn to a pediatric clinic.