SELF-CONTAINED JET IRRIGATION SYSTEM FOR WOUND DEBRIDEMENT

BASED ON RECENT INFORMATION ON TISSUE DAMAGE CAUSED BY MISSILE WOUNDS AND THE APPROPRIATE EXTENT OF WOUND DEBRIDEMENT, A PRESSURIZED SALINE JET IRRIGATION DEVICE IS PROPOSED. THIS DEVICE WILL BE POWERED BY NITROGEN PRESSURE (NON-CFC AND NO EVAPORATIVE COOLING) AND WILL BE A SELF-CONTAINED, COMPACT, INEXPENSIVE, STERILE SYSTEM THAT WILL BE EASILY USED UNDER BATTLEFIELD CONDITIONS. NOVEL CONCEPTS FOR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT, WOUND ACCESS AND LATERAL FLOW ARE PROPOSED. FLUID FLOW (MASS FLOW, SPRAY PATTERN, NOZZLE VELOCITY AND PRESSURE EXERTED ON TARGET), STERILITY ( USP TEST SECTION 71) AND STABILITY (LEAKAGE AND CORROSION) WILL BE MEASURED USING STANDARD METHODS. AN ORDNANCE GELATIN WOUND MODEL WILL BE USED TO EVALUATE THE EXTENT OF DEBRIDEMENT AND REMOVAL OF BULLET FRAGMENTS.