The Physicians Hand

Unmet Need
486,000 Americans seek treatment for moderate-to-severe burns each year in the United States. The size of a burn is a major factor in predicting survival and determines the precise volume of intravenous fluids required to resuscitate patients in the immediate time period of burn treatment. The current standard of care uses hand-held charts, Lund-Browder chart, determined by an intricate formula which integrates different body proportions, age and other factors. The clinical observer must accurately sketch the burn area onto a diagram, estimate the percentage of affected body area and perform manual calculations to correlate area burned as a percentage of total body surface area. Another quick triage estimation method is made by the less accurate “Wallace rule of nines”.  Manual estimations are subject to substantial errors and underestimate the third dimension especially in cases of children and obese victims.
 
Technology Overview
Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a software application, ‘Burn Treatment Application’, which is used to assess and provide a treatment plan for burn victims. This tool is delivered via a wireless, hand-held device. The health care provider enters the values of six variables (including age, weight and height) and using a three-dimensional model selects the area of the body which is burned.  The healthcare provider simply uses their finger to manipulate the model (rotate, magnify and translate) and to identify burn regions by touching the screen at the appropriate locations. The system automatically calculates the percent surface area that is affected and identifies the appropriate treatment regimen for the critical first two hours of care. This application not only saves time, but provides a much more accurate and reliable assessment of burn patients’ injuries.

Stage of Development
Hopkins inventors have designed and developed a software application for the treatment of burn victims for wireless hand-held devices (e.g., smart phone, iPad).
 
Publications
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