Review Article The Odon Device: A Review

S Karpagalatha

Professor, Department of Community Health Nursing, Samarth Nursing College, Dervan, Maharashtra,

ABSTRACT Worldwide, more than 13 million each year face serious complications, and every day about 800 women die from preventable causes related to and childbirth (about 300,000 annually. The Odon device represents a promising novel way to potentially prevent these deaths and improve obstetrical outcomes for both mother and baby. In complicated deliveries, the device is positioned against the baby’s scalp and the lubricated sleeve is gently inserted around the baby’s head. Once a marker on the device indicates that it has been positioned properly, the inner compartment of the sleeve is inflated, providing a strong grip on the baby’s head. The inserter is taken away and the sleeve can be pulled with up to 19 kg (42 lb) of force to pull out the head and allow for delivery of the baby.

Key words: Baby, Delivery, Head

INTRODUCTION to invent the Odon device – a new innovation for an assisted vaginal . The device was invented by Mr. Jorge Odón from Odon device is a medical device that assists during a difficult . BD (Becton Dickinson and Company) acquired the birth. The low-cost device consists of a plastic sleeve that is license of the device in 2013 and developed a new prototype. inflated around the baby’s head and is used to gently pull and ease the head of the infant through the birth canal. The two most common birthing instruments still used today are forceps and the vacuum extractor. The Chamberlen family invented forceps in the 16th century, and their invention grew increasingly popular within the Victorian era.[2] Forceps are still in use today and have not changed drastically since first being introduced. Another common birthing instrument is the vacuum OVERVIEW extractor. First manufactured in 1838 by James Young Simpson, Jorge Odon, a car mechanic from Argentina, has invented a new the vacuum extractor did not become a viable replacement for low-cost birthing device that may transform modern assisted forceps until the 1950s. Unlike forceps, new developments in . Mr. Odon used his passion for invention to materials have improved the device.[2] However, the vacuum build on a party trick, which allows one to remove a cork from extractor can still cause scabbing along with the infant’s head a wine bottle without damaging the bottle and create a device and has not proved an adequate substitute for forceps.[2] that may reduce newborn infection acquired during childbirth. Mr. Odon, a father of five, observed the remarkably medieval use of forceps and vacuum extractors, both of which can cause bruising and/or scabbing when used on the infant, and began to create a prototype for a more contemporary device that he hoped would revolutionize modern-day vaginal delivery.[1]

HISTORY OF BIRTHING DEVICES In 2006, Jorge Odón, a car mechanic from Argentina, saw a trick to remove a cork from a wine bottle, which inspired him

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: S Karpagalatha, Samarth Nursing College, Dervan, Maharashtra, India. Phone: +91-8157938127. E-mail: [email protected]

Submission: 01-2020; Peer Review: 02-2020; Acceptance: 03-2020; Publication: 05-2020

International Journal of Preventive and Public Health Sciences • Jan-Jun 2020 • Vol 6 • Issue 1 1 Karpagalatha: Odon device www.ijpphs.com

COMPONENTS A prolonged and complicated second stage of labor is associated with serious perinatal complications. The Odon device is an innovation intended to perform instrumental vaginal delivery.

TECHNIQUE The Odón device is a low-cost technological innovation to facilitate operative vaginal delivery and designed to minimize trauma to the mother and baby. These features combined make it a potentially revolutionary development in , The Odon device is made of two main components: A particularly for improving intrapartum care and reducing maternal plastic sleeve and an inserter (or applicator). The sleeve is made and perinatal morbidity and mortality in low resource settings.[4] of flexible polyethylene, with an internal fold in contact with the fetal head and the external fold in contact with the vaginal wall. The sleeve contains an air chamber (cuff) that is inflated around the fetal head by a manually operated bulb pump. The inserter consists of a handle with four-pronged flexible spatulas that slide around the fetal head and help to position the sleeve. A plastic cup (plastic bell) at the tip of the inserter facilitates the application and protects the fetal head. The inserter has a progress indicator allowing the operator to check when the correct depth of insertion has been reached.[3]

HOW THE ODON DEVICE WORKS Firstly, a double layer of plastic lining is inserted into the mother’s birthing canal and is wrapped around the infant’s head. A soft plastic bell, which perfectly adapts to the fetal head and prevents damage, is inserted along with the bag. A minimal and self- limited amount of air are then pumped into the bag which inflates a chamber and causes the bag to gently grip the infant’s head. Given that the infant does not breathe through the nose until birth, there is no obstruction to the flow of oxygen. Once the bag is in place, the inserter is removed. Finally, the infant is pulled through the birthing canal, limiting the chance of bleeding or complications. 1. The user places the soft plastic cup on the head of the baby. The cup is designed to help facilitate the proper placement of the device. 2. The users push on the handle of the inserter to progressively position the BD Odon device around the head of the baby. The inserter consists of four spatulas, which gently slide the sleeve along the birth canal and around the baby’s head. 3. The BD Odon device is properly positioned when the air cuff sits at the baby’s jawline. Once in position, a marker The Odón Device could reduce the following on the handle of the inserter becomes clearly visible in the • Prolonged second stage of labor. reading window. • PPH through a reduction in the second stage of labor. 4. The users then pump a minimal and self-limited amount of • The need for operative delivery. air into the air cuff. • The incidence of perineal damage. 5. Once inflated, the air cuff produces a secure grasp around • Perinatal infections acquired through the birth canal. the head of the baby and allows for traction. The user now removes the inserter. Advantages 6. The user pulls on the handles of the sleeve, leveraging the • Low-cost traction created by the air cuff and lubrication of the sleeve, • Simple to use to deliver the baby’s head. • Compact, easy to transport and store

2 International Journal of Preventive and Public Health Sciences • Jan-Jun 2020 • Vol 6 • Issue 1 www.ijpphs.com Karpagalatha: Odon device

• Designed to minimize trauma to the mother and fetus. 2. Schvartzman JA, Krupitzki H, Merialdi M, Betrán AP, Requejo J, Nguyen MH, • Reduce the risk of mother-to-infant disease transference, et al. Odon device for instrumental vaginal deliveries: Results of a medical including HIV. device pilot clinical study. Reprod Health 2018;15:45. • Reduce newborn infections worldwide.[5] 3. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Components-of-BD- Odon-Device_fig1_319974428. [Last accessed on 2020 Feb 20]. 4. Available from: http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/maternal_ CONCLUSION perinatal/odon_device/en. [Last accessed on 2020 Feb 24]. Although the Odón Device will require less specialized training 5. Available from: https://www.mdedge.com/obgmanagement/article/82694/ than VEs or forceps, investments in adequate training for obstetrics/2014-update-operative-vaginal-delivery/page/0/2. [Last , nurses, and physicians will be essential to ensure accessed on 2020 Feb 28]. improved treatment outcomes.

HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: REFERENCES Karpagalatha S. The Odon Childbirth Device: A Review. Int J Prevent Public 1. Available from: http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/article/odon-childbirth- Health Sci 2020;6(1):1-3. device. [Last accessed on 2020 Feb 20].

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