Last week: our paper in @BJSurgery describing the #Lifebox Surgical Headlight Project.

What is the process to address poor surgical lighting in resource-constrained operating environments?

https://bjssjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/bjs.11756

A thread to answer this and others...

What's the problem?

Among 125 Million operations performed in LMICs each year, 1/3 will experience intermittent electricity or have to delay/cancel operations due to poor lighting.

Portable headlights may solve the problem of ineffective overhead lighting, but surgeons face challenges in ID'ing the perfect light for their needs:

Few opportunities to test headlights
High costs
Lack of standardized specs to evaluate from afar
and many more...

In 2016, Lifebox ( @SaferSurgery) began the process to ID the optimal headlight for use in resource-constrained settings.

@fernandez_katie

Minimum specifications for the optimal headlight were established by reviewing existing medical and recreational headlights and shadowing surgeons in Ethiopia to develop a target product profile.

@forrester_jared @KrisTorgeson @TGWeiser

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2712927

Following an open call for headlight submissions from global manufacturers, 8 headlights underwent controlled engineering testing against the predetermined target product profile.

Human-centered design protocol by @elizjohansen #SparkHealthDesign

Five headlights underwent mixed-methods field testing in Ethiopia. Surgeons rated each model, commenting on overall performance, price, and willingness to purchase.

A single headlight was selected for further modification and larger-scale distribution + testing.

So, what does this mean?

The #Lifebox Surgical Headlight Project is on its way to the production of a purpose-built surgical headlight designed using human-centered principles for use in resource-constrained settings.

Stay tuned...

Thanks to @BJSurgery for sharing the work.

On behalf of a great team: @NicholeStarr5 @elizjohansen @forrester_jared Wayessa @drebolloMD @blackgrlsurgeon @fernandez_katie @Senaitbitew @TihitenaN @TGWeiser

FIN