More accurate treatment for burns victims thanks to new smartphone app
A former soldier has created a smartphone application that could see burns victims around the world get better and more effective treatment. After serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps, Chris Seaton from the United Kingdom took up studies in Computer Science at Manchester University where he developed the iPhone and iPad application - or 'app' as it is more commonly known. When it comes to a burns injury, survival hinges on taking the correct amount of fluids, and doctors usually have to make a quick series of calculations to assess what the ideal amount of fluid should be for each particular case. However, this method can be time consuming as well as having a high margin of error. In light of this, Chris wanted to develop an app that could save lives and prevent severe disfigurement by significantly reducing the possibility of errors occurring in treating burns victims -those incurred in both combat and non-combat situations. His app called 'Mersey Burns' - allows fast, precise calculations to be made. The research team working on the app carried out tests that showed Mersey Burns reduced errors made by the traditional method by a third. Chris was inspired to develop the app after witnessing the horrific burns injuries suffered by fellow soldiers during his four years in the army, during which he completed a seven-month tour in Afghanistan. All a user has to do is colour the patient's burnt area on a computer model of a torso on their touch-screen phone and enter in the person's age and weight. The app then calculates the precise amount of fluid that the patient needs. Aside from its accuracy, another advantage of this new app is that it can be used anywhere. Even soldiers in remote combat zones would be able to treat a burnt colleague effectively before reaching a doctor. 'There is great possibility for creating really innovative technology by pairing up small touch-screen devices with medicine,' comments Chris. 'Even simple ideas can make a big difference, and all it takes is a doctor getting together with a computer scientist to make it a reality.' The research team suggest that the app could also be used by on-call doctors to calculate the fluid amount for someone treating a burns victim who doesn't have access to the app. Project clinician Rowan Pritchard Jones said: 'Mersey Burns makes the prescription of fluids to burns patients more accurate and less time consuming, and it uses the touch-screen phone technology that most physicians already carry around in their pockets.' According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are over 195 000 deaths worldwide each year from fires alone, and this figure does not even take into account the incalculable numbers of deaths that occur annually from scalds, electrical burns, and other forms of burns. Over 95% of fatal fire-related burns occur in low- and middle-income countries, and South East Asia alone accounts for just over one-half of the total number of fire-related deaths worldwide, with females from this region being the most at risk. For those who survive a fire, the chances of being left with a lifelong disability or disfigurement are high. In high-income countries, prevention strategies and improvements in the care of burn victims - such as this new app - have made considerable progress in lowering rates of burn deaths. However these types of advances in prevention and care have not been so widely applied in low- and middle-income countries.For more information, please visit:University of Manchester:http://www.manchester.ac.uk/
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United Kingdom