‘Smart’ pump latest medical device created in Memphis

To the long list of medical devices created in Memphis, add the battery-powered pump that discreetly drains surgical wounds without the age-old accoutrement, the rubber bulb.

In early August, SOMAVAC Medical Solutions received a patent for its continuous negative-pressure “smart” pump. It’s as flat as an iPhone and is worn, attached by a belt, under the clothes.

Fluid from the wound is collected in a small plastic bag, marked with lines for measuring, attached to the pump. When it is full, the bag can be easily detached and thrown out or used as a sterile way to preserve the content for researchers.

“It is driven by a sensor, so it holds a given pressure setting,” said Esra Roan, CEO and co-founder of the company.

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