cheap and portable device for wound healing (MIT)
Monday, March 22, 2010
MIT has developed a cheap and portable device that can help speed the healing of the wounds suffered by victims of major natural disasters. The device, which was developed after the terrible earthquake that hit Haiti, is not nothing but a simple bellows pump connected to a tube, applied to a wound dressing, can generate negative pressure enough to accelerate the healing of a wound. Best of all, it costs only $ 3 and can be manufactured almost anywhere.
mid-February, four weeks after the earthquake of Haiti, a team from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, specializing in the treatment of injury, traveled to the devastated capital of Port-au-Prince. The purpose of the trip was to help local physicians manage the large number of patients who had open wounds, amputations and crushed limbs. Zurovcik Danielle, a graduate student at MIT was in the team, and had brought with it a device developed as part of his thesis research: a version of low cost and portable negative pressure devices that are commonly used in hospitals to accelerate healing of wounds. The device invented by Zurovcik costs about $ 3, and its creator believes it is able to improve the care patients receive once the emergency phase within the relief, when they begin surgery to save misguided or even members the patient's life.
The device invented by Zurovcik costs about $ 3.
Robert Riviello, a surgeon at Brigham and Women's and collaborator Zurovcik, says his experience in Haiti and other large earthquakes indicates that "after carrying out emergency response, such as amputation or treatment of fractures, the main problem facing the physician are the wounds." In these treatments, which often extend for weeks or months, the negative pressure therapy to help reduce the need for dressing changes continuously. Instead of two or three shifts a day, you can make two or three a week. And this is a great advantage where resources and medical staff is scarce. Although many people do not know, over the last decade these negative pressure devices have become a central part of therapy injuries in the United States. The results show that up to three times can accelerate wound healing and in some cases, depending on the type of injury, even eliminate the need for plastic surgery or skin grafts.
Oddly, scientists do not know exactly how that negative pressure can accelerate the healing process, but assume that possibly help eliminate fluids and bacteria that build up the wounds, while increasing blood flow in the area. In addition, binds the edges of the wound and mechanical pressure exerted on it, some can cause cell growth. But the commercial versions that are used to treat burns and chronic wounds such as decubitus ulcer or diabetic foot ulcers are expensive (over $ 100 per day of use), heavy (more than 5 kilograms) and require a power source to function.
Zurovcik
The device costs only three dollars and is activated by applying pressure through a bellows pump that weighs less than half kilo. "It's basically a toilet plunger, and yet can produce a negative pressure over a long period of time, that's really impressive," says Kristian Olson, a doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital. "Not only see it as a product for those in developing countries, but I really could improve treatment in the U.S., "he adds. Riviello thought Zurovcik and test your device in Rwanda, when the earthquake struck Haiti. Boarded a plane, and soon were working in emergency tents filled with patients. His team responded primarily to those who needed follow-up care.
Of the hundreds of patients evaluated, the researchers selected eight individuals with multiple injuries, including amputations, open tissue injuries, open fractures, crushing injuries and infected surgical wounds, and were treated with negative pressure device. The treatment allowed to keep the wounds clean and reducing the need to change bands-something that is painful for patients. Once the emergency, Zurovcik turned to make adjustments to its prototype, trying to further improve the pressure seal and the amount of negative pressure that can provide. The MIT team has shown that, at times, have a good idea is much more effective than having a huge budget. Seen
Technology Review
MIT has developed a cheap and portable device that can help speed the healing of the wounds suffered by victims of major natural disasters. The device, which was developed after the terrible earthquake that hit Haiti, is not nothing but a simple bellows pump connected to a tube, applied to a wound dressing, can generate negative pressure enough to accelerate the healing of a wound. Best of all, it costs only $ 3 and can be manufactured almost anywhere.
mid-February, four weeks after the earthquake of Haiti, a team from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, specializing in the treatment of injury, traveled to the devastated capital of Port-au-Prince. The purpose of the trip was to help local physicians manage the large number of patients who had open wounds, amputations and crushed limbs. Zurovcik Danielle, a graduate student at MIT was in the team, and had brought with it a device developed as part of his thesis research: a version of low cost and portable negative pressure devices that are commonly used in hospitals to accelerate healing of wounds. The device invented by Zurovcik costs about $ 3, and its creator believes it is able to improve the care patients receive once the emergency phase within the relief, when they begin surgery to save misguided or even members the patient's life.
The device invented by Zurovcik costs about $ 3.
Robert Riviello, a surgeon at Brigham and Women's and collaborator Zurovcik, says his experience in Haiti and other large earthquakes indicates that "after carrying out emergency response, such as amputation or treatment of fractures, the main problem facing the physician are the wounds." In these treatments, which often extend for weeks or months, the negative pressure therapy to help reduce the need for dressing changes continuously. Instead of two or three shifts a day, you can make two or three a week. And this is a great advantage where resources and medical staff is scarce. Although many people do not know, over the last decade these negative pressure devices have become a central part of therapy injuries in the United States. The results show that up to three times can accelerate wound healing and in some cases, depending on the type of injury, even eliminate the need for plastic surgery or skin grafts.
Oddly, scientists do not know exactly how that negative pressure can accelerate the healing process, but assume that possibly help eliminate fluids and bacteria that build up the wounds, while increasing blood flow in the area. In addition, binds the edges of the wound and mechanical pressure exerted on it, some can cause cell growth. But the commercial versions that are used to treat burns and chronic wounds such as decubitus ulcer or diabetic foot ulcers are expensive (over $ 100 per day of use), heavy (more than 5 kilograms) and require a power source to function.
Zurovcik
The device costs only three dollars and is activated by applying pressure through a bellows pump that weighs less than half kilo. "It's basically a toilet plunger, and yet can produce a negative pressure over a long period of time, that's really impressive," says Kristian Olson, a doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital. "Not only see it as a product for those in developing countries, but I really could improve treatment in the U.S., "he adds. Riviello thought Zurovcik and test your device in Rwanda, when the earthquake struck Haiti. Boarded a plane, and soon were working in emergency tents filled with patients. His team responded primarily to those who needed follow-up care.
Of the hundreds of patients evaluated, the researchers selected eight individuals with multiple injuries, including amputations, open tissue injuries, open fractures, crushing injuries and infected surgical wounds, and were treated with negative pressure device. The treatment allowed to keep the wounds clean and reducing the need to change bands-something that is painful for patients. Once the emergency, Zurovcik turned to make adjustments to its prototype, trying to further improve the pressure seal and the amount of negative pressure that can provide. The MIT team has shown that, at times, have a good idea is much more effective than having a huge budget. Seen
Technology Review
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