Lecturer creates tool to facilitate wound cleansing

NILAI: The difficulties experienced by nurses, and doctors and other medical personnel in cleaning up the wounds of patients with broken legs prompted a Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) lecturer to produce a support tool, known as Elev8thor.

USIM's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences senior lecturer Dr Mohd Asha'ari Bain said it would simplify treatment work and alleviate the burden of nurses and medical officers as at least three personnel were needed to clean wounds and to apply a plaster of paris cast on a broken limb.

“A nurse will be able to clean an injury due to a broken leg in 15 to 20 minutes faster using the tool compared to the conventional method of using three or more personnel,” he said.

He said the mobile modular block system deployed by Elev8thor would help health personnel conduct daily inspection and management of wound more efficiently.

He said these blocks were specially designed so they could move and be shifted specifically to reduce pressure in the area of a wound to prevent ulcer, simultaneously reducing complications in leg injuries at the knee and below as well as to facilitate health personnel in wound management and provide comfort to patients.

“In addition, the Elev8thor can also be used in several orthopaedic procedures such as balance traction for treating fractured bones at the knee and below, x-ray procedure, the process of applying plaster of paris, interlocking procedure for tibia bone injuries and treatment using a split skin graph, “Dr Mohd Asha'ari, who is also an orthopaedic surgeon, told Bernama here.

Elev8thor was developed at a cost of RM250 using ‘hard foam' and ‘soft foam' wrapped in leather, could be easily handled and washed and had a lifespan of more than five years.

“However, so far only Malaysia has such a tool. It may be marketed at between RM600 to RM700 each.

Dr Mohd Asha'ari said the product had also won a gold medal at the 2018 Eighth Islamic Innovation Exposition here recently, and was in the process of being patented.

“Then we will find a manufacturer to make this product and we will start marketing,” he said. - Bernama