Infusion system

Infusion therapies are used for various diseases, emergency measures, dehydration and also for Covid-19 patients. By administering certain drugs and nutrients, patients can be helped quickly. Of the various forms of infusion therapy, gravity infusion is the most commonly used. In this method, a liquid enriched with salts, nutrients and medication is administered to the patient through an infusion tube via an elevated infusion bag. In contrast to infusion pumps, which can be used to automatically control the infusion flow rate, the drip rate for gravity infusion must be manually adjusted and permanently controlled.

Especially in developing countries, a sufficiently frequent control is not always possible due to a lack of personnel in the clinics. The consequences are devastating: incorrect dosages can, in the worst case, lead to death - especially for children, who are particularly susceptible to incorrect dosages. However, the use of infusion pumps is not possible in developing countries due to unstable environmental conditions, such as an often insufficient power supply. In addition, handling and repairing the devices is complicated and expensive.

In order to ensure greater safety in infusion therapies, the ECGF-IS (Electronically Controlled Gravity Feed Infusion Set) project is developing a device that automatically doses the infusion fluid. Together with the initiator of the project, Philippa Ngaju Makobore, who is a researcher at the Uganda Industrial Research Institute in Kampala, Uganda, researchers from the Fraunhofer IPA department »Clinical Health Technologies« in Mannheim, which is part of the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA, are developing a cost-effective electronically controlled gravity infusion system.

The new drop sensor system can be used simply by clamping it onto a standard infusion bag and significantly improves on reliability, ease of use and safety by eradicating erroneous alarms associated with the old design. Migration of the electronics to a more efficient platform and optimization of the control algorithm improves on the robustness of the design, allowing for feature improvements and reliability.  The device is powered by a mains adapter, but also has a battery so that it can be used even in the event of a power failure. If this power supply also fails, a built-in safety mechanism in a revised version of the device ensures that the therapy is automatically terminated. This ensures a high level of safety for the gravity infusion system, which can then continue to be operated manually. A solar-powered charging station is currently being developed so that the device can be used anywhere. The new device is being prepared to meet regulatory requirements as per the CE mark to allow commercialization of the device. In order to strengthen local structures, attention is also being paid during development to ensure that all components of the infusion system are available in Uganda. We have been able to attain acceptable accuracy with the existing design of the drop sensor, with the new design we do not anticipate any differences in terms of drop rate accuracy however an improvement in usability and installation and removal of erroneous alarms with the water proofing. This is why I changed the title.

For this sustainable and innovative solution, the scientists from Germany and Uganda were awarded the German-African Innovation Incentive Award  2020 by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). After the safety and efficacy of the system has already been proven in two clinical studies, the prototype is now being optimized. Further collaborative projects and an academic exchange program between the two countries are also planned - to develop additional low-cost medical devices, to pass on knowledge in the teaching of medical technology in developing countries and to ensure that such high-performing research continues.