Getinge Create an Artificial Placenta for Newborns

In an effort to preserve the lives of more preterm infants, a partnership made up of academics and market leaders, including Getinge, has now obtained financing to create an artificial placenta that will continue to aid lung and kidney function even after delivery.

One of the main reasons for high mortality in preterm babies is that their body is not in a position to be detached from the umbilical cord and function independently.

Getinge’s VP of Cardiopulmonary, Dr. Dieter Engel, said that “it’s often due to fatal lung failure, and sometimes combined with kidney failure. We cannot reduce the death toll of premature babies by optimizing existing applications or enhancing existing products.”

The University Hospital in Nuremberg, Germany, is in charge of the main research undertaking, supported financially by Horizon Europe.

Getinge will be a key player in the study and creation of an artificial placenta.

These high-risk new-borns have a significantly reduced chance of survival and may develop a lasting disability as a result of the intrusive and extremely dangerous procedures used to treat them.

Premature infants are frequently treated in critical care with equipment that was initially designed for adults before being modified.

Getinge’s Director Innovation & Technology, Ulrich Haag, explained how “the approach we are taking with our partners uses the natural interface for care of premature babies – the umbilical cord. It’s less invasive and reduces risk.”

In this collaborative effort, Getinge’s responsibility is to create a module that brings together oxygenation and dialysis.

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