Travel day is near and the house has exploded into an array of packing items, medical equipment, and necessities for family members staying here during the trip.
We learned that power tools at our site may be in disrepair, especially the cordless systems that rely on battery power. The lithium ion batteries eventually fail to hold a charge and that seems to the case. Unfortunately, new orthopedic power systems are VERY expensive. Fortunately, alternatives exist.
Check out: https://arbutusmedical.com
Their drill cover systems are cheaper and compatible with “Home Depot” drills. KCMC has 1 cover at their hospital that is in good repair.
Unfortunately, we learned too late of this option. So, time to learn to sew!
A trip to Home Depot yielded a new drill and batteries. We then took some waterproof canvas and designed a drill sleeve based on pictures we found on the web. Add some velcro and ties and a small hole for a drill bit and VOILA, operating room drill sleeves. While not perfect, I hope this will provide an option if we need more than one room with power during a surgery day. Perhaps, our hosts will simply chuckle at our efforts, but if you’re reading this and need sterile sleeves – Place you order Now!
(To be clear, we are not selling any product!)
One response to “A surgeon learns to sew?”
Curious to know if you’ve used the pouches and how well they worked.