Purpose of Funding: To increase access to gasless Laparoscopic Surgery through the local Manufacturing of a Novel Laparoscopic Technology called KeySuite
About KeySuite
Description of Technology: KeySuite is a laparoscopic system designed for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It was developed through the human-centered-design process, by a multi-disciplinary collaboration of surgeons, engineers, global health scientists, attorneys and business experts at Duke University, Makerere University and University of Maryland. Our laparoscope (KeyScope) can be built for $600 (cost of goods) and does not require a constant supply of electricity or carbon dioxide. Rather than using fiber optic cables, it contains light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a color complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) detector, enabling a significant decrease in cost and complexity. Images can be displayed on a laptop computer, obviating the need for expensive monitors and preventing loss of function during power-outages. It is a single-unit device, and therefore lost parts will not inhibit continued use. The unit can be sterilized by immersion in Cidex. We have developed a laparoscopic retractor, KeyLoop, to mechanically lift the abdominal wall, eliminating the need for carbon dioxide supply and continuous pressure regulation. KeyScope and KeyLoop were intentionally designed to be manufactured in Uganda.
Partners and Collaborators
- Duke University – USA; Key Person – Assoc. Prof. Tamara Fitzgerald
- University of Maryland – USA; Key Person – Asst. Prof. Tamara Fitzgerald
- Shishi International Limited – Uganda; Key Persons – Mrs. Sheillah Bagayana and Mrs. Martha Mulerwa
