Surgibox

Surgibox is a portable inflatable operating theatre[1][2][3] designed for use in disaster response, humanitarian emergencies, remote first aid[1][3] and in military first aid.[4]

Surgibox
TypeSurgical device
InventorDr Debbie Lin Teodorescu
ManufacturerSurgibox Inc.
Websitehttps://www.surgibox.com/

History

The Surgibox was invented by Debbie Lin Teodorescu, a doctor, after seeing need to be able to perform urgent surgeries in the absence of an operation theatre when she was working in response to the 2010 Haiti Earthquake.[1]

Design

In 2020 Annie Tianci Zhang described SurgiBox as:

"a transparent, inflatable plastic enclosure which isolates the surgical site, creating a localized, sterile region in which surgical procedures may take place."[5]

The Surgibox inflated using solar-powered and uses renewable batteries. It weighs less than 5 kilograms and can be transported within a 30-litre backpack.[1]

The SurgiBox sticks to human skin using adhesives, the skin and the plastic bubble form a sterile space, and surgeons can operate through entry ports on the side of the device.[4][1]

The Surgibox enclosure keeps the sterile space well within safety limits of operation theatres and also protects healthcare workers from fluids.[6]

The design is patented.[7]

Use

It is designed primarily for abdominal, chest, pelvic and orthopedic, surgical procedures.[1]

It is cost effective for and is designed for use in military and emergency humanitarian settings.[5]

Cost

Zhang's academic paper described it as a being "cost effective."[5]

Awards

References
  1. Newey, Sarah (2019-06-08). "UK funded inflatable operating theatre set to revolutionise emergency surgery". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  2. Beck, Melinda (2016-09-26). "The Challenge of Health-Care Innovation in Developing Nations". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  3. "5 Designs To Blow Your Mind: Our Picks From Designs Of The Year". Londonist. 2018-09-14. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  4. "Inflatable Operating Room Could Bring Safe Surgery to Front Lines". www.nationaldefensemagazine.org. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
  5. Zhang, Annie Tianci (2020). Ultraportable surgical enclosure : human centered design for high usability in unpredictable environments (Thesis thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. hdl:1721.1/127861.
  6. Miller, Sally A. (2018). Design of an ultraportable surgical enclosure for low resource environments (Thesis thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. hdl:1721.1/115652.
  7. "Patents Assigned to SURGIBOX INC. - Justia Patents Search". patents.justia.com. Retrieved 2021-12-03.
  8. "Design Museum's annual awards offer a glimpse into the world of tomorrow". Channel 4 News. 2018-09-23. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  9. "Harvard i-lab honors student innovators - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  10. "The Story of Surgibox". NECN. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.