The automated blood pump (ABP) allows profusion of liquids through simulators, trainers, and cadaveric models to increase the realism and fidelity for learners undergoing surgical trainings. This ABP is low cost, light weight, transportable, battery operated (rechargeable), allows pulse adjustment, displays battery life, water resistant, has a small footprint, is light weight, and can operate multiple pumps of various pressures.

Applications and Advantages

• Increases the realism of a surgical simulation event for the learners
• Compatible with variety of simulators/trainers
• Easily portable
• Designed for use in potentially austere environments
• Easy to use

Innovation Description

This project was sponsored by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Mark Bowyer, USU Professor of Surgery and Surgical Director of Simulation. An automated blood pump (ABP) provides surgical simulation educators the ability to incorporate pulsatile profusion into training events for the development of surgical skills. Currently available commercial blood pumping systems are usually designed to work with a proprietary simulator. These products could be heavy, expensive, and have limited volume area for blood.

An HJF inventor has created an ABP that allows profusion of liquids through simulators, trainers, and cadaveric models to increase the realism and fidelity for learners undergoing surgical trainings. This ABP is compatible with a variety of simulators/trainers. Its light weight and small footprint allows it to be taken anywhere and operated even in austere conditions during field training exercises without access to power using internal rechargeable 12v battery. Potentially it could also connect to other static simulators/task trainers using other tubing connectors that are easily procured commercially or through 3D printing. All components used are low cost and replaceable in order to minimize downtime and burden on training budgets

Fig. 1 Design of the ABP

Inventors

• Elizabeth N. Weissbrod, MA (Author, HJF)
• Project guided by Dr. Mark Bowyer (USU)

Innovation Status

Prototyped and field tested.

Intellectual Property Status

Copyright and know-how