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.

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

History

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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 & Function

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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 solar power and uses 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

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b "Design Museum's annual awards offer a glimpse into the world of tomorrow". Channel 4 News. 2018-09-23. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  4. ^ "SurgiBox Operating Room in a Backpack". Creating Hope in Conflict. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  5. ^ "Genius Inflatable Operating Theatre Fits in a Backpack So Surgery Can Be Performed Anywhere". Global Citizen. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  6. ^ "Inflatable Operating Room Could Bring Safe Surgery to Front Lines". www.nationaldefensemagazine.org. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
  7. ^ Miller, Sally A. (2018). Design of an ultraportable surgical enclosure for low resource environments (Thesis thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. hdl:1721.1/115652.
  8. ^ "Harvard i-lab honors student innovators - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  9. ^ "The Story of Surgibox". NECN. Retrieved 2021-10-26.