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Negative Pressure Medical Device
USINFO | 2013-10-09 13:49
After surgery a patient requires care for an amputated limb or the open wounds of a fractured bone. Vacuum pumps speed healing by removing bacteria and fluids that accumulates on, and around the injury.
The cheapest model on the market goes for about $100 a day rental, and weighs about five to 10 pounds, which creates a barrier for utilizing these devices in medical relief efforts sent to disaster zones.
"My experience in Haiti and other major earthquakes is that after the acute medical response, such as amputating limbs and setting fractures, the major disease burden is wounds," says trauma surgeon Robert Riviello.
The pump Zurovcik invented costs about $3 and weighs less than half a pound. Once a wound dressing is sealed to prevent air leaks, her hand pump can be used to create the required vacuum without any external power source.
Traditional pumps require 14 watts of electricity; Zurovcik’s pump needs only 80 microwatts to function..
