In war and disaster areas, as well as in third world countries, surgeons often have to operate in the field. Scientists have developed a miniature and portable operating room to find a solution to this problem. The system, called SurgiField, can be placed directly on the patient’s body in minutes.
The innovative invention was designed by SurgiBox, a subsidiary of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Air or waterproof disposable transparent plastic SurgiBubble consists of three parts: the Intelligent Control Module (SCM) with an electric air pump and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. It should be noted that all three devices in question can be carried in a single backpack and can be assembled in just a few minutes.
How is SurgiField used?
While using the system, the pre-sterilized SurgiBubble is placed on the problem area of the body. Its lower edges are attached to the patient’s skin and its shape is fixed using the included collapsible frame. The SCM, which provides the air flow inside, cleans the air inside the bubble through the HEPA filter.
During the operation, the surgeon enters the bubble through two inward-facing arm holes. Since the transparent plastic material provides a good view, it has the chance to see the operation clearly. When the process is complete, SurgiBubble is discarded and the rest of the system is repackaged for future use.
It has already saved the lives of 31 people
Last month, 50 SurgiField systems were donated to Ukraine as part of the ongoing aid programme. MIT states that immediately after the donation in question, the Southern Ukraine Operations Command reported that 31 lives have been saved so far with the use of this system.