Novel Concepts for Soldier-Centric Technology in Non-Traditional Combat Casualty Care

"The Self-Applied Field Exo-Splint (SAFE-Splint) is designed to facilitate soldier independence by self-treating lower extremity injuries in combat situations. The SAFE-Splint is designed to be applied quickly and easily, eliminating all ground-reactiveforces (shock) and all shearing forces (friction) in the foot and ankle. Theoretically, a soldier with foot and/or ankle trauma could apply the SAFE-Splint and walk to safety with minimal difficulty. All forces are transmitted from the leg through theform-fitting two-part silicone to the rigid structure and footbed. This not only helps the injured soldier help himself, it reduces the risk to fellow assisting soldiers, and puts the entire mission in a less compromising position. Civilian uses includetreatment for fractures in the foot and ankle, addressing the off-weighting needs of post-operative and diabetic patients with neuropathic wounds, including those with acute Charcot deformity.Phase I will address proof-of-concept issues with objective data including off-weighting measured with the Novel EMED Pedar-S system and shear reduction measured by the Exergen Dermatemp. Phase II will address issues of size, convenience, weight, and easeof mixing the two-part silicone utilizing a barrier method in the field. Since historically, 90% of battlefield casualties occur prior to receiving medical treatment, intuitively, arming each soldier with a device that potentially saves his life an