ACU Alumna presents surgical after care splint

ACU Alumna and sessional academic Leonie Rastas recently presented her Therapeutic Goods Administration approved splint invention at the International Maternity Expo in London and received an enthusiastic response.

In 2018, Leonie designed a surgical after care splint (SAC splint) designed to support mothers who have had a caesarean, in the early weeks after birth.

The splint assists mothers by reducing 'mechanical stress' around their caesarean wound by supporting the abdominal muscles.

In their consensus document¹, the World Union of Wound Healing Societies suggest that wound separation (SWD) is under reported, however they cite that 1.9-7.6% of c-section wounds are experiencing SWD.

Mechanical stress caused by raised intra-abdominal pressure during sudden movement such as coughing, retching, sneezing and laughing is named as one of the three main contributors to SWD.   SWD can happen any time between 1-20 days but more commonly between 4-14 days, so it is vital that women understand the importance self care and monitoring of their wounds.

The SAC splint is held gently against the abdominal wall, as a means of counteracting mechanical stress by supporting the abdominal muscles during such sudden movements.

ACU Alumna Leonie Rastas (right) pictured with Janine McKnight (left) RN, and author of Five Guide - a visual health promotion tool designed to enhance caesarean section recovery.

¹ World Union of Wound Healing Societies (WUWHS) Consensus Document. Surgical wound dehiscence: improving prevention and outcomes. Wounds International, 2018.