In the first week of life, as many as 60% of newborns with term gestational age experience clinical symptoms of jaundice. Prevalence data in Indonesia is recorded at 13.2 – 58%. Treatment of babies with jaundice through conventional irradiation has limitations because it separates mother and baby, barriers to exclusive breastfeeding, excessive use of inpatient rooms, and lack of portability.
The use of phototherapy blankets with fiber optics is currently still very limited and quite expensive to procure. Depart from these conditions, using light-emitting diode phototherapy blankets is an alternative method. The light-emitting diode phototherapy blanket simplifies a tool where the blanket is easy to roll up, carry and move. Its light weight makes it easier to distribute and use in all primary health facilities in Indonesia. These six (6) things are urgent for researchers to research to develop and assess the side effects and effectiveness of LED phototherapy blankets in treating neonatal jaundice.
Research from 2019 by lecturers from the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) and the Faculty of Engineering at the Universitas Indonesia, consisting of dr. Tubagus Ferdi Fadilah, SpA., M.Kes (FPH UI/Faculty of Medicine Trisakti University), Prof. dr. Asri C. Adisasmita, M.P.H., M.Phil., Ph.D (FPH UI), Prof. Dr. Ir. Raldi Artono Koestoer DEA (Faculty of Engineering UI), Ibnu Roihan, S.T., M.T. (Faculty of Engineering UI), Dr. dr. Johanes Edy Siswanto, Sp.A (K), Ph.D (PKIAN RSAB Harapan Kita/Faculty of Medicine UPH) then produced the BLUI Blanket, a portable blanket phototherapy device used in neonatal jaundice (hyperbilirubinemia) patients. The BLUI brand itself stands for Blue Light Universitas Indonesia. The name BLUI Blanket combines the words BLUI and Blanket or blanket. The BLUI Blanket is the first domestically made blanket phototherapy device that meets the product test method requirements of the Jakarta Health Facilities Security Center (BPFK) with testing criteria including; electrical safety measurement, performance testing, light intensity testing, mattress temperature testing, and reliability testing by turning it on for 14 days nonstop. The tool was declared to have passed and received a test certificate on February 21, 2022, from BPFK, the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Jakarta.
The use of phototherapy with phototherapy blankets in neonatal jaundice is known to have advantages over conventional phototherapy, namely in terms of comfort and bonding between the baby and mother, as well as the ease of direct breastfeeding. However, in some cases, the available phototherapy blankets still have drawbacks, including the relatively high price. Due to these limitations, recent research has focused on developing simple phototherapy blankets using an LED array into a blanket as an effective alternative method.
In addition to lower production costs, the simplification of this tool has advantages such as blankets that are easy to roll up and easy to carry and move, have lightweight, produce more even radiation, are flexible so they can be placed closer to the baby, will facilitate distribution and its use in all Primary Health Facilities in Indonesia so that it can benefit the wider community.
Compared to the standard form of phototherapy, the BLUI Blanket uses blue light LED sheets with a wavelength of 450-470 nm as a light source, making it more flexible and lightweight, making it possible to be carried to health facilities anywhere, even for use at home. The BLUI Blanket system consists of three components: an LED illuminator, a blanket wrap, and a dacron pad as a soft mattress for babies. The last two materials can be washed and reused to remain hygienic and economical. Furthermore, to be scientifically justified, a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) study will be carried out in this BLUI Blanket to assess the effectiveness of BLUI Blanket phototherapy blankets compared to conventional phototherapy devices in babies with neonatal jaundice.
