Design and Feasibility Test of Motorized Hand-Held Devices for Intra-compartmental Pressure Monitoring

The acute compartment syndrome refers to an increase in pressure in a limited space within the body. This is an orthopedic emergency that requires prompt and accurate diagnosis, and objective indicators such as compartment pressure measurement are more important than the subjective judgment of the doctor. This study presents a motorized hand- held device that can accurately measure and diagnose intramuscular compartment pressure by overcoming the disadvantages of the existing compartment pressure measuring device. The device is divided into two modules: a disposable sensor part with a pressure sensor in the syringe, and a reusable electronic part including a motor, controller, dis- play unit, and battery. The assembly of these two modules is designed such that the pressure sensor and the electric parts are easily fastened in a shape similar to that of a conventional syringe. A pressure sensor is embedded into a syringe with a needle and the plunger is moved by a motor according to the user’s input to inject a certain amount of liquid in the syringe to equalize the pressure in the syringe with the diagnostic area, and the sensor measures the pressure value. The measured value is shown in a display on the electric part. Each prototype was fabricated for the two different design models, and it was confirmed through a series of experiments that the designed devices have essential performance for measuring intra-compartmental pressure and the user can easily perform it for the given measurement protocol.