TY - JOUR
T1 - The WOCA negative pressure wound therapy device designed for low resource settings
AU - Knulst, Arjan J.
AU - Berger, Salome
AU - van den Boom, Jorijn
AU - Bosch, Inge
AU - Nicolai, Noa
AU - Maharjan, Suraj
AU - Raaijmakers, Eileen
AU - Tsai, Chang Lung
AU - van de Weerd, Lisa
AU - Dankelman, Jenny
AU - Diehl, Jan Carel
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) is a treatment that promotes healing of chronic wounds. Despite high prevalence of chronic wounds in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), NPWT devices are not available nor affordable. This study aims to improve chronic wound care in LMICs by presenting the Wound Care (WOCA) system, designed for building, testing and use in LMICs. Design requirements were formulated using input from literature, ISO standards, and wound care experts. The WOCA design was developed to provide safe, portable, user-friendly and affordable NPWT to patients in LMICs. The design features an adjustable operating pressure ranging from −75 to −125 mmHg, a battery for portability, a 300 ml canister, overflow protection, and system state alarms. An Arduino controls the pressure and monitors the system state. Three prototypes were developed and built in Nepal, and their performance was evaluated. Pressure control was 125 ± 10 % mmHg, internal leakage was 7.5 ± 4.3 mmHg/min, reserve capacity was 189 ± 16.9 ml/min, and overflow protection and alarm systems were effectively working. Prototype cost was approximately 280 USD. The WOCA demonstrates to be a locally producible NPWT device that can safely generate a stable vacuum. Future research will include clinical trials situated in LMICs.
AB - Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) is a treatment that promotes healing of chronic wounds. Despite high prevalence of chronic wounds in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), NPWT devices are not available nor affordable. This study aims to improve chronic wound care in LMICs by presenting the Wound Care (WOCA) system, designed for building, testing and use in LMICs. Design requirements were formulated using input from literature, ISO standards, and wound care experts. The WOCA design was developed to provide safe, portable, user-friendly and affordable NPWT to patients in LMICs. The design features an adjustable operating pressure ranging from −75 to −125 mmHg, a battery for portability, a 300 ml canister, overflow protection, and system state alarms. An Arduino controls the pressure and monitors the system state. Three prototypes were developed and built in Nepal, and their performance was evaluated. Pressure control was 125 ± 10 % mmHg, internal leakage was 7.5 ± 4.3 mmHg/min, reserve capacity was 189 ± 16.9 ml/min, and overflow protection and alarm systems were effectively working. Prototype cost was approximately 280 USD. The WOCA demonstrates to be a locally producible NPWT device that can safely generate a stable vacuum. Future research will include clinical trials situated in LMICs.
KW - Low-cost
KW - Low-resource setting
KW - Medical device
KW - Negative pressure wound therapy
KW - Vacuum-assisted closure therapy
KW - Wound care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85212960494&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00620
DO - 10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00620
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85212960494
SN - 2468-0672
VL - 21
JO - HardwareX
JF - HardwareX
M1 - e00620
ER -