Johns Hopkins University is profiling the work of an undergraduate student team that developed a device for performing rapid cricothyrotomies for establishment of an airway, following traumatic battlefield injuries. Explosions are a common threat, often causing injuries that create airway obstructions. Cricothyrotomies are difficult to perform, especially following an attack when nerves are running high.
The CricSpike speeds up the process and leaves less room for error thanks to a delivery tip that penetrates the windpipe while preventing entry into the esophagus. The device comes with a large, easy to grab handle that is used to position the tip into the incision. It then breaks off to reveal the port through which an endotracheal tube is inserted.
The device is still in prototype stage, but following further development and design improvements it may one day receive regulatory approval to be sent to the front lines.
Here’s a demonstration showing how the CricSpike is deployed:
Via: Johns Hopkins…