Limited methods exist for preserving severed limbs from traumatic injuries for replantation. The current state-of-the-art practice involves cooling damaged limbs by submerging them in ice water during transit to medical facilities. This method is cumbersome, impractical, and may pose a risk of limb ischemia. In desert climates, using ice water is not feasible. The goal of this project is to develop a device to preserve a severed limb for replantation. After conducting a design analysis and proof of concept tests, a bag using liquid CO2 to cool the limb was selected as the final design. This design consists of a liquid CO2 tank to provide cooling, an insulated drawstring bag for the limb, and a shelf to protect the limb from frostbite by eliminating direct contact with CO2 . This system has the advantage of being lightweight, usable in hot environments, and easy to use. After the prototype device was developed, tests were done with both surrogate limb models and pig limbs, and the results of those tests showed that this system could effectively cool a limb for at least 6 hours.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Soofi, Anjum
• Quattromani, Nina
• Holtz, Daniel
• Liu, Grace

Subject

• Project-Based Learning
• Innovation
• Health
• Well-Being

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042524-104416
• 121667

Mot-clé

• Limb
• Preservation
• Dry Ice
• Tissue Preservation
• CO2
• Limb Salvage

Advisor

• Page, Raymond L.
• Guceri, Selcuk

Year

• 2024

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 3 - Good Health and Well-being

Date created

• 2024-04-25

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biomedical Engineering

Source

• E-project-042524-104416

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Dernière modification

• 2024-05-22