At this time, how can LYMPHA be used?

At this time, how can LYMPHA be used?
15 December 2021

Tags

obstetrics



Nowadays, medical decisions are often based on medical algorithms. LYMPHA is a programming language designed specifically to handle medical algorithms. The scripts written in the language have the ending “.lympha”. The interpreter for the language is written in Python and runs via prompt. Everything in LYMPHA is represented as constants and variables, but they are called procedures and factors. A common name for these data types is statements. Each statement is represented as a node in the flowchart that the interpreter can produce. The user can choose from different outputs of the interpreter:

I have also created a web-based variant of the interpreter. Currently, the web version of the interpreter is more advanced. The web variant allows users to create preview-flowcharts and then input patient data that activates the corresponding nodes of the flowchart. Types of nodes that currently the web-based interpreter can handle are procedures, binary factors and binary evaluations. Here is an example for interpartal CTG at term:

CTG. -> CTG_110_160_spm? ; 
CTG. -> CTG_100_or_under_110_spm? ; 
CTG. -> CTG_under_100_spm? ; 
CTG_100_or_under_110_spm? -> corrigate_reversible_causes. ; 
CTG_100_or_under_110_spm? -> consider_stimulation_test. ; 
CTG_under_100_spm? -> corrigate_reversible_causes. ; 
CTG_under_100_spm? -> consider_stimulation_test. ; 
CTG_under_100_spm? -> consider_labour ; 

The script above will produce the following preview-flowchart:

With data from a normal labour the following flowchart will be produced:

Although the development of lympha programs is far from finished, LYMPHA can at least be used as a forework for medical reasoning.