DOST backs newborn care device for Filipino babies

Gastroschisis is a rare but serious congenital condition in which a newborn’s intestines protrude outside the body through a hole in the abdominal wall.

The condition requires specialized care and surgery to place the organs back inside the body and close the abdominal opening.

In the Philippines, hospital-based studies have reported high mortality rates among babies with gastroschisis, including one figure showing 31 deaths among 35 newborns.

While devices for managing gastroschisis are available internationally, they are imported and costly, limiting access for many Filipino families.

The Department of Science and Technology is funding a University of the Philippines Manila project to develop the country’s first locally made pediatric abdominal wall defect assistive device for gastroschisis.

“With our support for Filipino researchers, we create health solutions that lessen our reliance on international technologies and make quality care accessible to our communities,” said DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr.

Project leader Dr. Alvin D. Caballes of UP Manila shared updates on the device during the Talakayang HeaRT Beat press conference of the DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development.

Caballes said the international standard for managing gastroschisis is a medical-grade, cylindrical plastic bag called a silo bag, which is sutured to the abdominal opening to cover the exposed organs.

The silo bag helps place the intestines back into the body and close the abdominal hole.

There are currently no local manufacturers of silo bags in the Philippines, according to the project team.

Caballes said the team has produced a prototype of the locally made assistive device’s bag component and developed its fabrication method.

Unlike existing single-use silo bags, the prototype is reusable, making it more cost-effective.

The device will also feature a physiological monitoring unit to provide additional safety features.

Although completing the device will take time because of required testing, Caballes said the project is expected to produce a high-quality, safe, and accessible health solution for Filipinos.

After the first phase, the team will further refine the fabrication process before moving to in vivo testing.

The pediatric abdominal wall assistive device, along with prenatal detection, is envisioned to improve survival outcomes among newborns with gastroschisis.

The DOST-PCHRD funded the device’s development under its Biomedical Engineering for Health Program.

Phase 2 of the project is underway.