BILILIGHTS PHOTOTHERAPY LIGHT SYSTEM

 

Global Health Challenge:

 

Over half of all infants are born with neonatal jaundice, and the majority of these infants in developing nations have no access to expensive phototherapy treatment. Neonatal jaundice is a condition in which a newborn's body is unable to degrade bilirubin which results in very high bilirubin levels, or hyperbilirubinemia. Hyperbilirubinemia is responsible for jaundice and can lead to potentially lethal complications if not properly treated. The standard treatment for neonatal jaundice is the use of phototherapy treatment. Phototherapy treatment consists of the application of strong blue light to the infant's skin. This light transforms bilirubin into a form that infants can more easily process which greatly reduces the chance of complications. Phototherapy light systems available in most low resource settings are often based on older generation technology such as halogen or fluorescent lighting. These systems produce an unacceptable amount of heat that could potentially harm the infant.

 

Appropriate Solution
 

The Bililights Phototherapy Light System is a safe, low cost phototherapy device. The device utilizes LED's as a light source and thus produces high luminance with no excess heat. It is designed to be used in conjunction with the Warming Crib, but it can also be hung from an IV bag stand. Recessed controls allow health care professionals to adjust the intensity of the treatment for each patient. The Bililights system provides a simple, effective phototherapy treatment designed for low resource settings.

 

Current Status
 

The Bililights Phototherapy Light System has been tested and was found to provide an appropriate level of irradiance as specified by the American Academy of Pediatrics. An early version of the Bilights system was found to be comparable to existing solutions by a recent study in Guatemala.  The system is currently being used in Guatemala and Malawi.