Advanced surgical suite for trauma casualties (AZTEC)

• US 5,964,065 A
• Filed: 12/22/1997
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: San José State University Research Foundation
• Original Assignee: San José State University Research Foundation
• Inventors: Chung, Tai Y., Lertphumpanya, Theekarat, Migurski, Tomasz K., Windham, David C., Moris, Stefano A., Perry, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): A, PHI DIEU TRAN
• Application Number:
  US08/995,962
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 52/79.5, 52/64-72, 135/88.17, 135/88.18, 135/143, 135/149, 135/151, 135/152, 135/900, 135/901, 312/198, 312/334.27, 312/334.29, 312/334.31, 312/334.32
• US Class Current: 52/64
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 3/001 Vehicles provided with medical equipment to perform operations or examinations
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/3442 folding out from a core cell
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/08 Hospitals, infirmaries, or the like; Schools; Prisons

Abstract

Advanced vehicle-transportable field emergency medical systems comprising surgical suites deployable from core modules, each expanding to form an enclosed surgical or treatment room with perimeter tenting spaces, supplies and equipment. Two system versions are disclosed, each containing operating rooms, post operative beds, and a twenty plus bed triage capacity with unidirectional patient flow. The first surgical procedure can begin within one hour of delivery with a twenty patient cycle for twenty four hours. The surgical/treatment modules may also be deployed independently. Both system versions are transportable in a single C130 transport aircraft. Version AZ1 has smaller modules deployable by utility helicopter that include two operating suites, two post operative units, and also supply/communications and power units. Version AZ2 includes two modules each forming a combined surgical/post-operative unit, and also supply/communications and power units. Each lightweight core module deploys to form a room of over twice its original volume, exclusive of attached tented triage/post-op spaces. A combination of hinging side panels, floor plates, and telescoping space frames and cabinets create a sturdy self-locking core structure. An air filtration/conditioning system and passageway airlocks maintain positive pressure in the operating/post-op rooms for contamination prevention. The deployed system layout provides efficient patient movement and avoids cross-contamination. Lightweight tenting is supported from the deployed modules, e.g. by pylons/spars, panels and curved battens, creating an enclosed, compound surface which withstands weather loads. Telescoping, airlocked supply cabinets are accessible from the inside and outside of the operating room, to preserve positive pressure.

Claims

1. An advanced expandable/collapsible transportable field activity support suite, comprising in operative combination:

a) a core assembly including an extensible chassis having a first end and a second end and a first side and a second side;

b) a plurality of first telescoping cantilever beams housed within said chassis directed to telescope horizontally outward from said first end of said chassis at a plurality of intervals along said first end of said chassis;

c) a plurality of second telescoping cantilever beams housed within said chassis directed to telescope horizontally outward from said second end of said chassis at a plurality of intervals along said second end of said chassis;

d) a first spaceframe fixedly mounted to, and extending upwards from, the outward ends of each of said first telescoping beams;

e) a second spaceframe fixedly mounted to, and extending upwards from, the outward ends of each of said second telescoping beams;

f) a first foldable pair of vertically oriented sidepanels connected to each other and to each of said spaceframes by vertical hinges such that said first pair of sidepanels are folded inwardly along said hinge when said telescoping beams are housed within said chassis, and such that said first pair of sidepanels are unfolded towards a co-planar orientation with respect to each other when said telescoping beams are extended from within said chassis, said unfolded sidepanels being generally contiguous with said first side of said chassis;

g) a second foldable pair of vertically oriented sidepanels connected to each other and to each of said spaceframes by vertical hinges such that said second pair of sidepanels are folded inwardly along said hinge when said telescoping beams are housed within said chassis, and such that said second pair of sidepanels are unfolded towards a co-planar orientation with respect to each other when said telescoping beams are extended from within said chassis, said unfolded sidepanels being generally contiguous with said second side of said chassis;

h) a deployable folded tent roof mountable upon said spaceframes and storable in association with said core assembly;

i) expansion mechanism for extending said telescoping beams from said chassis until said pairs of side panels are unfolded to said co-planar orientation;

j) a plurality of members which maintain said roof in a deployed condition to enclose the volume created upon extension of said telescoping beams outward from said chassis;

k) at least one of said first and second spaceframes includes;

i) space for occupancy upon suite deployment; and

ii) at least one cabinet assembly for housing material selected from equipment, supplies and consumables; and

l) said cabinet assembly includes mounting members to move said cabinet between a first stowed position within the interior of said spaceframe and a second accessibly deployed position substantially outside the interior of said spaceframe, so that said cabinet does not substantially intrude into said occupancy space.

2. A field support suite as in claim 1, including at least one deployable tent structure configured to define upon deployment an enclosed personnel perimeter space around at least a portion of said core assembly.

3. A field support suite as in claim 2, wherein at least one of said tent roof and tent structure comprises:

a) a plurality of flexible, curved battens, at least some of said battens are mountable to at least one of said spaceframe and said chassis;

b) a tent membrane; and

c) said battens are mountable to said membrane to maintain at least a portion of the tent membrane in tension to withstand substantial loads.

4. A field support suite as in claim 3, wherein said tent structure is stored in association with said core assembly when said suite is collapsed, said tent structure being mountable to and supported at least in part by at least one of said spaceframes and said chassis when said suite is expanded to its deployed configuration.

5. A field support suite as in claim 4, including:

a) at least one airlock mounted to said suite for providing passage for ingress to and egress from the interior space of said suite for controlling airflow into and out of said suite interior; and

b) at least one HVAC/filtration unit in communication with said suite space for providing a positive-pressure flow of filtered air into said suite space to reduce contamination within said suite interior.

6. A field support suite as in claim 2, wherein said suite includes prepackaged equipment and supplies for deployment as a medical/surgical suite.

7. A field support suite as in claim 6, wherein said cabinet includes at least one sealable opening accessible from inside said deployed suite and at least one sealable opening accessible from outside of said deployed suite.

8. A field support suite as in claim 7, wherein said cabinet includes an interlock mechanism for preventing both said inside opening and said outside opening from being unsealed at the same time.

9. A method of deploying a compact module for deployment as a field activity support unit, said module including a structural core assembly having at least one expandable spaceframe mounting at least one movable accessibly deployable cabinet, a plurality of vertically extensible pylons, and roof support elements selected from panels, tent membranes, guy wires, spars, and tent support battens, and sidewalls, said method comprising in any order the steps of:

a expanding said space frame to a fully operational extended configuration providing interior workspace;

b) deploying said cabinet to a position substantially outside the interior of said expanded spaceframe, so that said cabinet does not substantially intrude into said workspace;

c) extending vertical pylons and supporting roof elements therefrom;

d) enclosing area around said core with tent roof and sidewalls to provide a use perimeter between said core and said sidewalls; and

e) connecting utilities to said core to render operational.

10. A method of deploying a compact module as in claim 9, said field support unit module including equipment or supplies for deployment as a medical/surgical suite, said module including at least one airlock and at least one HVAC/filtration unit, further comprising the steps of:

a) positively pressurizing said suite with filtered air from said HVAC/filtration unit to reduce airborne contamination of said suite; and

b) controlling the flow of air into and out of said suite via said airlock.

11. A compact portable module for deployment as a tented field activity support unit, comprising in operative combination:

a) a structural core assembly comprising at least one expandable space frame deployable at least one of horizontally and vertically from a collapsed, compact, transportable configuration to a fully operational, extended, deployed configuration defining an interior workspace;

b) said core assembly having telescoping members including at least one of extensible chassis members and vertically extensible roof support pylons to assist in support of a roof of said tent;

c) said core assembly in said collapsed transportable stowed configuration forming a closed box structure having enclosing handling-resistant exterior panels; and

,

d) said core assembly including at least one cabinet for housing at least one of equipment, supplies and consumables, said cabinet deployable from a first, stowed position in the interior volume of said module in said collapsed transportable configuration to a second deployed, use position, so that said cabinet does not substantially intrude into said workspace in the expanded deployed configuration of said core.

12. A compact module as in claim 11, including a deployable tent structure configured to enclose said core assembly in its fully deployed extended configuration and provide an enclosed personnel perimeter space around at least a portion of said core assembly.

13. A compact module as in claim 12, wherein:

a) said structural core assembly includes an extensible chassis having a top, a first end and a second end and a first side and a second side;

b) said laterally extensible chassis members include a plurality of telescoping cantilever beams housed within said chassis and telescopingly mounted to said chassis at spaced intervals along at least one of said chassis ends to telescope horizontally outward from said end of said chassis;

c) said spaceframe being fixedly mounted to, and extending upwards from, the outward ends of said telescoping beams;

d) said structural core assembly includes at least one folded pair of vertically oriented sidepanels pivotally connected to each other and to at least one spaceframe by vertical hinges such that said pair of sidepanels are folded when said telescoping beams are housed within said chassis, and such that said pair of sidepanels are unfolded towards a generally co-planar orientation with respect to each other and said first side of said chassis when said telescoping beams are extended from within said chassis;

e) said tent structure includes a deployable folded tent roof mountable upon at least one of said spaceframe and said chassis, said folded tent structure is storable in association with at least one of said spaceframe and said chassis;

f) expansion mechanism to extend said telescoping beams from said chassis until said pair of side panels is unfolded to said co-planar orientation; and

g) a plurality of members which maintain said roof in a deployed condition to enclose the volume created upon extension of said telescoping beams outward from said chassis.

14. A compact module as in claim 12, wherein said tent structure comprises:

a) a plurality of flexible, curved battens;

b) at least one tent membrane; and

c) said battens are mountable to said membrane to form therewith a semi-rigid arched surface capable of withstanding substantial loads.

15. A compact module as in claim 14, wherein at least some of said battens are mountable to at least one of said spaceframe and said chassis.

16. A compact module as in claim 14, wherein said tent structure is stored in association with said module in its collapsed configuration, said tent structure being mountable to and supported at least in part by at least one of said spaceframes and said chassis.

17. A compact module as in claim 12, wherein said module includes prepackaged equipment and supplies for deployment as a medical/surgical suite.

18. A compact module as in claim 17, including:

a) at least one airlock mounted to said suite for providing passage for ingress to and egress from the interior space of said suite for controlling airflow into and out of said suite interior; and

b) at least one HVAC/filtration unit in communication with said suite space for providing a positive-pressure flow of filtered air into said suite space to reduce contamination within said suite interior.

19. A compact module as in claim 17, wherein said cabinet includes at least one sealable opening accessible from inside said deployed suite and at least one sealable opening accessible from outside of said deployed suite.

20. A compact module as in claim 19, wherein said deployable cabinet includes an interlock mechanism for preventing both said inside opening and said outside opening from being unsealed at the same time.