Pediatric Inhaler Spacer Device
ABOUT
In collaboration with an engineer at Abbott Northwestern Hospital and physicians at St. Paul's Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 4 executive team members of EWH developed a novel inexpensive inhaler spacer for pediatric patients in the developing world. This project started an extended collaboration with St. Paul's Hospital and a new professional chapter of EWH in Minnesota.
Figure 1: Homemade Water Bottle Spacers in Developing Countries, including Ethiopia
the problem
In Ethiopia, commercial asthma spacers are too expensive; therefore hospitals configure water bottles into spacers regardless of size and shape. This leads to inconsistent and ineffective medication delivery.
OUR SOLUTION
In January 2019, an Ethiopian clinician brought this medical concern to an engineer in Minnesota. The engineer collaborated with our EWH project team to initiate Ethiopian connections and create the first long-term project to implement abroad.
Since then, we learned the technical difference between commercial spacers and water bottle spacers through research articles, conversations with healthcare professionals, and making our own water bottle spacers.
Team Members
3D CAD of Proposed Bottle Spacers