MIT Student Develops $3 Cutting-Edge Healing Device, Field Tested in Haiti
January 26th, 2012This is a couple of years old, but it was news to me.
Via: Fast Company:
No one really knows why, but for an open wound, simply applying suction dramatically speeds healing times. (The theory is that the negative pressure draws bacteria out, and encourages circulation.) But for almost everyone, that treatment is out of reach–simply because the systems are expensive–rentals cost at least $100 a day and need to be recharged every six hours.
No more. Danielle Zurovcik, a doctoral student at MIT, has created a hand-powered suction-healing system that costs about $3. The device is composed of an airtight wound dressing, connected by a plastic tube to a cylinder with accordion-like folds. Squeezing it creates the suction, which lasts as long as there’s no air leak. What’s more, where regular dressings need to be replaced up to three times a day–a painful ordeal–the new cuff can be left on for several days.
I did several searches and couldn’t find anything for sale. Seems like that happens a lot with good cheap products. Lots of hype and none available. Since it’s been out for over a year one would think they would be available for sale somewhere.
Thanks Kevin, for another educational heads-up on a practical level. This is very interesting, because I don’t recall having ever learned before that suction promotes healing. And now accomplished with a $3 device? How simple, and yet how valuable. I guess sometimes it just takes a genius to think of the obvious.
Sadly enough, for some reason, (and perhaps this is just my conditioned-in negativity showing) but despite the impressively low cost of this solution, or more probably BECAUSE of the impressively low cost of this solution, I feel caution suggesting not to hold my breath waiting for these to become commonly available.
I wonder if the decrease in healing time is due to decreasing the moisture gradient between the skin surface and deep tissue which is how scar healing aids like cica-care, a silicone gel ‘bandage’ work. I imagine suction would also affect circulation.
Ah, my punctuation ain’t too good on the fly:
Try “…, a silicone gel ‘bandage’, work.”
hey for what its worth:
http://store.gofit.net/Stability-Ball-Foot-Pump-p/gf-sbp.htm
probably only needs minimal modification, and then theres the sealed wound dressing, gauze and/or cottonballs. these come w/ most stability balls, which themselves are great for a range of things, if your into exercise at all. also great for the endocrine system, but most core exercise is.
@Dennis I’m pretty sure you’ve got the right idea about the moisture. I would also wonder whether exposure to oxygen is part of the issue as well as the increased circulation. Either way, I’ve got a couple of tiny bike pumps that aren’t good for anything more than blowing up a volleyball…
I love the reference to the developing world – as if of course everyone in the developed world can afford the $100/day rental charge and trained staff to use the equipment.
When you actually have to pay for it the price of treatment is of paramount importance to the patient, but someone is always paying for it somehow. The cost to society in one way or another is always there at least as an opportunity cost. Imagine if Americans didn’t spend 16% of GDP on healthcare.
@optimist I’m imagining a world where they give out stability balls to patients with acute injuries. Once you’re done using the pump with your dressing you blow up the ball and use that for physical therapy.
Bit older than a couple of years, actually! 🙂
http://www.japanesehealingarts.com/articles/ancient-art-of-cupping.html
I haven’t seen anything on it being traditionally used on open wounds, but it is used a lot for sports injuries and can be combined with bloodletting, so I wouldn’t be surprised if ye anciente Chinese used it for wounds as well.
Usual explanation is that the vacuum encourages the movement of fresh blood and qi into the affected area, reducing stagnation and encouraging a healing response. In Western terms I guess that would be replacing dead cells and waste products with oxygenated blood and active healing factors.