Must be Comfortable:

Making sure that the device that we design is not too bulky is key for the comfortability of the patient. The cooling gel for our design has a high specific heat so that it will take time for temperature to change so that it does not make the patient too cold.

A gap on the shoulder joint will support the main elastic bandage to keep it in place so that it doesn’t fall off from the body.

The monitor will not be wire connected. It will let the patient move around while they are having their treatment.

Easy to wrap the bandage and the protective ice pack will help to relieve from pain.[7] 

The patient doesn’t need to take any additional steps to maintain the pressure. The monitor will show the pressure amount and the pressure is adjustable as needed.

Ensure that the Device is Biocompatible:

We want to ensure the safety of the patient by creating a biocompatible device. Using a device dangerous/toxic to the body may lead to serious complications. Specifically, the cooling material used in our design should be nontoxic to the body so that it does not mutate any cells nor cause infection.

The main reason why we want to attach the ice pack to our device is that it helps to reduce pain due to tension on surrounding tissue. [7]

The ice pack should not be toxic so that it doesn’t affect more tissues on the surgery site. Urea ice pack will be a better option than ammonium nitrate ice pack since the second one is harmful to the body if it leaks. [7]

Urea ice pack should not cause any infection.

We will still place the urea ice pack in the sealed pocket to avoid any potential leak. 

Reduce Hospitalization and Healing Time:

Hematoma formation can lead to complications and increased healing time after surgery. Our goal is to decrease healing time to maximize patient comfort and minimize hospital time.

A hematoma causes a patient discomfort and can result in an increased risk of developing an infection after surgery. To remove the hematoma after it has already formed, an invasive approach, such as surgery, may be required. As a result, the patient will have to stay in the hospital for a longer period of time in order to recover. 

The typical hospital stay for someone who had a pacemaker or defibrillator implanted with no complications is approximately 2 days, so the doctor can make sure the device is working properly. However, when a complication such as the formation of a hematoma arises, a patient’s hospital stay can increase by about 4-9 days [5]. 

The average cost of a hospital stay of 5 days could be over $10,000 [6]. If a postoperative complication occurs, that can increase the cost of a hospital stay, as well as the total cost since the patient would have to pay for a second course of treatment and additional hospital stay.