The Ministry of Health and Prevention (Mohap) has launched the world's first technique to monitor and measure real-time cerebral blood flow in preterm infants and induce the automatic resuscitation of the infant’s brain using artificial intelligence.
The technology was unveiled in cooperation with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Washington, at the 45th Arab Health being held at Dubai World Trade Centre from January 27 to 30. The ministry’s move comes in line with its efforts to bring about a transformation in healthcare services rendered to patients, provide the latest treatment methods, and offer comprehensive and innovative health services according to the best international standards.
Radical Change
“Introducing this technique will radically change how CPR operations are performed to children in critical care conditions, especially when it comes to premature babies and cardiac impairment cases. It will help reduce mortality rate and improve long-term treatment outcomes after premature baby is discharged from intensive care unit,” H.E. Dr. Yousif Mohammed Al Serkal, Assistant Undersecretary for the Hospitals Sector, said.
Incorporation of modern technology
He stressed that the ministry’s cardiovascular services have witnessed remarkable developments over the past few years thanks to the incorporation of modern technology, such as artificial intelligence, smart and robotic systems. “We will keep on advancing our services to support the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and UAE Centennial 2071,” Al Serkal further said.
New generation of life-saving CPR
For her part, Dr. Kalthoum Al Baloushi, Director of MoHAP's Hospitals Administration, noted that the cerebral blood flow measurement technique is the new generation of life-saving CPR. It is all about a laser-enhanced strip and three-dimensional detectors placed on the premature baby's forehead without any surgical intervention, to measure the velocity of cerebral blood flow, oxygen and metabolism simultaneously and continuously.
Al Baloushi affirmed that the technology deliver accurate and extremely fast results when any deficiency occurs; patient will then be automatically connected to the ECMO device as an alternative to the heart and lungs to receive blood returning to the heart outside the body, extract carbon dioxide, and return the oxygenated blood to the body of the premature baby.