A groundbreaking device has been developed by researchers at Northwestern University, marking a significant advancement in fetal health monitoring during surgery. This soft, flexible robotic probe is designed to continuously track a fetus's vital signs while still in the uterus, a feat previously unachievable.
The probe, measuring just three times the diameter of a single hair, can be gently inserted through the same narrow port used in fetal surgeries. Once inside the uterus, it maintains stable, gentle contact with the fetus, tracking heart rate, heart rate variability, blood oxygen levels, and temperature. In studies on large animal models, the probe provided accurate, precise, clinical-grade measurements even as the uterus and fetus moved during surgery.
This real-time monitoring allows surgeons to gain a more comprehensive and early understanding of fetal distress, enabling faster interventions if complications arise. The study, published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, marks the smallest platform developed to date capable of accurately measuring vital signs.
The device was developed by John A. Rogers, a bioelectronics pioneer at Northwestern, in collaboration with Dr. Aimen Shaaban, a fetal surgeon at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Rogers' work builds on his suite of soft, flexible devices designed to monitor the health of tiny, vulnerable patients, including premature infants in the NICU.
Fetal surgery, a rare and complex procedure, is performed to correct life-altering or life-threatening congenital conditions before birth. One such condition is spina bifida, which affects thousands of babies each year in the U.S. Fetal surgery also treats severe diaphragmatic hernias, urinary tract obstructions, fetal tumors, and twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. These procedures are performed as early as 15 weeks into a pregnancy.
However, monitoring the fetus during these surgeries has lagged behind the evolution of fetal surgery. The team's slender, filament-like probe, made from soft, flexible materials, can operate safely and gently inside the uterus. With a width just three times the diameter of a single hair, it passes through a standard tube used during fetoscopic surgery, requiring no additional incisions.
Soft robotic actuators enable surgeons to guide and position the probe with precision, and a tiny, inflatable balloon-like cushion ensures stable contact with the fetus. The probe integrates multiple miniature sensors to measure fetal heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and temperature, wirelessly transmitting data to a monitor outside the body for real-time feedback.
This continuous, multimodal monitoring could help surgeons intervene earlier or pause a procedure if a fetus shows signs of distress, providing reassurance to parents and caregivers during anxiety-inducing surgeries. The study, 'A filamentary soft robotic probe for multimodal in utero monitoring of fetal health,' was supported by the Querrey-Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital Foundation.
