Surgibox
Portable inflatable operating theatre
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Surgibox is a portable inflatable operating theater[1][2] designed to provide a safe and sterile surgical environment for use in settings such as disaster relief areas, humanitarian efforts, and remote combat zones.
| Type | Surgical device |
|---|---|
| Inventor | Debbie Lin Teodorescu |
| Manufacturer | Surgibox Inc. |
| Website | https://www.surgibox.com/ |
History
Surgibox was invented by Debbie Lin Teodorescu while working in response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake,[1] who saw the need to perform urgent surgical procedures without access to an operating theater and sterile operating environment.
Design and function
The patented Surgibox design[3] is used primarily for abdominal, chest, pelvic and orthopedic surgical procedures.[1] It is designed to be portable.[4]
There are three parts in Surgibox, a plastic bubble, a control module and a battery pack. Surgibox is inflated with HEPA using renewable batteries. It weighs less than 5 kilograms and can be transported in a 30-litre backpack.[5]
Surgibox sticks to human skin using adhesives. The skin and the plastic bubble form a sterile space, which allows surgeons to operate through entry ports on the side of the device. The plastic bubble is single-use format.[6][1]
The Surgibox enclosure keeps the sterile space well within the safety limits of operating theaters and also protects healthcare workers from body fluids.[7]
Awards
- UK Design Museum Design Of the Year finalist[3]
- Harvard Innovations Labs' President's Challenge Grand Prize[8]
- MassChallenge winner[9]