Dr. Paul Fenton started working on a new technology when he saw these issues first hand while working as an anesthesiologist in Malawi. He reported that the hospital he was working at had enough anesthesia machines, however, they were unable to use them properly due to power outages and lack of oxygen.
This experience inspired Dr. Fenton to create the Universal Anesthesia Machine (UAM), which sucks air from the environment and filters it to form purified oxygen that can be given to a patient during surgery. This machine uses electricity, but in the event of a power outage, the machine can be run by a hand-powered pump. The display screen also has a ten-hour battery life if electricity is no longer available. He also engineered the machine so that if it were to break, parts could be bought at a local auto shop for very little money.
This invention earned Dr. Fenton the top health prize at the Tech Awards Gala this month. UAMs are currently being used in 18 countries, and the hope is that more and more low-income countries will receive this life-saving technology.
References:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/goatsandsoda/2014/11/23/363113747/anesthesia-miracle-no-power-no-oxygen-tanks-no-problem?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=health&utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews
http://thetechawards.thetech.org/laureates/gradian-health-systems
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ReplyDeleteWow, that is very scary to think about! Imagine going through a high-risk surgery and waking up in the middle of it! I have seen this in movies but you are right, this is definitely not expected in our country. I also found an article that spoke on pediatric surgery and anesthesia in Uganda and the following were not always available in hospitals: electricity (in 9 hospitals), running water (8 hospitals), blood for transfusions (18 hospitals). Not to mention that disposable equipment was reused or just not available for procedures, there was a lack of oxygen, and a lack of specialist surgical training.
ReplyDeleteThis really shows how lucky we were in this country that these problems are scarce and the standard for health care at majority of our hospitals are high. I commend Dr. Fenton for developing this technology and I can not wait to see what other advances will be made.
Reference:
Walker IA, Obua AD, Mouton F, Ttendo S, Wilson IH. 2010. Paediatric surgery and anaesthesia in south-western Uganda: a cross-sectional survey. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 88:897-906. doi: 10.2471/BLT.10.076703. Available from: http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/88/12/10-076703/en/
Great find Megan! I actually read a very similar article yesterday and thought about exactly what Nassim is talking about. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteHey, Megan! This is a really interesting post. I can't even imagine how horrific it would be to wake up during the middle of surgery. It would be indescribably traumatic for the patient and possibly life-threatening. I noticed you mentioned that Dr. Fenton was working in Malawi. Did you by chance find any other countries that this type of incident was occurring in also? It's amazing that this physician was so incredibly resourceful and invented something that solved a crucial problem. I agree with what Nassim was saying as well. We are so lucky to live in a country where this is type of situation is, for the most part, non-existent. This physician made such a huge difference in the lives of so many. Just as Dr. Fenton did, I hope we can all strive to make the world a better place through our actions and ingenuity. So inspiring, great post!
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