USU student develops STEAM device for hypothermia
Treating hypothermia in the field is a challenge for medical professionals, as 66% of trauma cases are noted as hypothermic by the time they reach the emergency department. A student at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) is seeking to solve this issue with the development of an innovative medical device called “System for Thermogenic Emergency Airway Management” (STEAM). Army 2nd Lt. Bradley Pierce and fellow classmate, Army 2nd Lt. Ryan Stevens, as well as their faculty advisor and mentor Army Maj. (Dr.) Laura Tilley, have developed a device to prevent and treat hypothermia by rewarming and humidifying airways in the body. STEAM has successfully filed for patent protection with the support of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC), making it the first student-led project at USU to do so.