Development of a specialized pacemaker for use in obstetrics and gynecology

Abstract

The fields of application of artificial pacemakers for electrical stimulation of organs and tissues are constantlywidening.In the last decade a whole range of electrical stimulation techniques aimed at treatment and prevention of obstetric and gynecologic diseases has been developed and tested clinically. They include methods of treatment of endocrine disturbances and pathological states of the genital tract, treatment of functional sterility, prevention ofprematurelabor, stilumation of uterine contractions, prevention of postpartum hemorrhages, etc.The results of many years of research and clinical experience [i, 4, 5] show the high therapeutic value of these nonhormonal methods of treatment, the absence of any harmful effects on mother and child, and the simplicity of their use. This paves the way for the widespread use of pacing methods-in obstetrics and gynecology-. However, their introduction into medical practice on a large scale is at present being held up by the absence of the necessary mass-produced equipment.To meet the requirements of health carelnstitutions for electrical stimulation equipment, the All-Union RgsearchInstitute of Medical Instrumentation, of theMinistry of Instrumentation, jointly with the All-Union Research Center for Health Care of Mother and Child, Ministry of Health of the USSR, are undertaking: research into the designing and manufacture of a number of specialized pacemakers for use in obstetrics and gynecology.The need to design and manufacture-specialized pacemakers is determined by the following circumstances: the extremely largenumber of~patlents requiring obstetric and gynecologic aid in connection with childbirth or gynecological disease, the existence of an extensive network of medical institutions specializing in-obstetrics and gynecology, namely maternity homes, counseling services for women, gynecologic hospitals, prenatal clinics, sanatoria, and preventive establishments; the specific conditions for the use of such equipment in maternity departments, departments of pathology of pregnancy, specialized units in physiotherapy departments; and the need to use special intracavitary electrodes.The first such specialized apparatus --the EUS-5-1 "Uteroton-l" uterine electrical stimulator --has now been developed and submitted to clinical trials. It is intended for use in obstetrics for the prevention of postpartum" hemorrhage, with the aim of reducing blood loss during labor and reducing thenumber ofpostnatal complications, andalso for use in gynecology to stimulate the cervix uteri for the treatment of dysfunctional bleeding, to stimulate ovulation, for the treatment of ovarian hypofunction, and other gynecologic diseases thal are frequent causes of sterility.