We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
ARAB HEALTH - INFORMA

Download Mobile App




Events

27 Jan 2025 - 30 Jan 2025
15 Feb 2025 - 17 Feb 2025

Wearable Vacuum Pump Reduces Seroma Risk

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 12 Jul 2018
Print article
Image: A discrete vacuum pump drains fluids continuously (Photo courtesy of Somavac / Studio Norwood Photography).
Image: A discrete vacuum pump drains fluids continuously (Photo courtesy of Somavac / Studio Norwood Photography).
A low-profile, user friendly, wearable pump applies sustained vacuum to a closed wound following surgery to remove fluid effectively.

The Somavac Medical Solutions (Memphis, TN, USA) SOMAVAC 100 is a battery-powered device that provides continuous suction to the surgical wound to reduce the risk of seroma. Indicated in a range of surgeries that lead to large surgical flaps that require drains, such as abdominal surgery, mastectomy, plastic surgery, hernia repair, and orthopedic procedures, it is designed to replace the legacy technology of suction bulbs and surgical drains, a solution originally intended for hospital use that can lead to spillage, leakage, and clogging of lines when self-administered.

In addition to its health benefits, the SOMAVAC 100 can be discretely worn under clothing, close to the body, which helps patients return to their normal daily activities while recovering. And while similar in principal to negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) systems, which apply controlled sub-atmospheric pressure to the local wound environment using a sealed wound dressing connected to a vacuum pump, the SOMAVAC 100 can provide much higher drainage volumes, since NPWT systems are intended for smaller fluid build-up, such as in burns.

“This FDA clearance represents a critical milestone for Somavac Medical Solutions and provides a meaningful advancement in post-surgical care, offering patients the opportunity to recover with dignity at home after major surgeries,” said biomedical engineer Esra Roan, PhD, CEO of Somavac Medical Solutions. “We are excited about receiving our clearance from the FDA for this device so that our technology can begin to improve patients’ recovery after surgeries.”

Seroma is a common postoperative result following ventral hernia repair, with an incidence rate of 20%. Suction using manually operated closed systems has been the mainstay of seroma management for the last 40 years; such devices draw fluid using a compressible suction bulb attached to the end of the drain, which is worn by patients anywhere from days to several months, depending on fluid volume. Inability of the bulb to generate a continuous suction is a major factor in the prolonged drain indwelling times, increasing opportunity for complications.

Related Links:
Somavac Medical Solutions

Gold Member
12-Channel ECG
CM1200B
New
Gold Member
X-Ray QA Meter
T3 AD Pro
New
Plasma Freezer
iBF125-GX
New
Mobile Power Procedure Chair
LeMans P360

Print article

Channels

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The portable biosensor platform uses printed electrochemical sensors for the rapid, selective detection of Staphylococcus aureus (Photo courtesy of AIMPLAS)

Portable Biosensor Platform to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Infections

Approximately 4 million patients in the European Union acquire healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) or nosocomial infections each year, with around 37,000 deaths directly resulting from these infections,... Read more

Health IT

view channel
Image: First ever institution-specific model provides significant performance advantage over current population-derived models (Photo courtesy of Mount Sinai)

Machine Learning Model Improves Mortality Risk Prediction for Cardiac Surgery Patients

Machine learning algorithms have been deployed to create predictive models in various medical fields, with some demonstrating improved outcomes compared to their standard-of-care counterparts.... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
Image: The acoustic pipette uses sound waves to test for biomarkers in blood (Photo courtesy of Patrick Campbell/CU Boulder)

Handheld, Sound-Based Diagnostic System Delivers Bedside Blood Test Results in An Hour

Patients who go to a doctor for a blood test often have to contend with a needle and syringe, followed by a long wait—sometimes hours or even days—for lab results. Scientists have been working hard to... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.