Project Description: 

Wire storage is a significant issue in Interventional Radiology. The current storage solutions used during procedure are to store them on the back table, in a guidewire bowl filled with saline, or on top of the patient’s sterile gown. However, with all these methods, wires can be easily contaminated by touching an unsterile surface (such as the bottom of the back table, any radiology equipment present, and even the surgeon’s face). In addition, if multiple wires find themselves in the same place, they can be very difficult to distinguish from one another. This presents a serious challenge, given that some of these IR procedures can require upwards of 20 wires. These problems waste valuable time, money and effort. Catching Wire, with the assistance and mentorship of Dr. Ayman Abunimer from Emory Healthcare, have worked to develop a clean, intuitive storage solution that allows Interventional Radiologists to easily store, identify and manage wires in a surgical setting. Our solution draws inspiration from a rotating multi-layer organizational box, and utilizes rotating rings mounted on a threaded rod to easily manage the wires. Each rotating ring is fitted with a shallower version of the existing guidewire bowl designed to only store one wire. These bowls can be filled with saline solution, and can be swapped between different bowls depending on the needs of the surgery. In addition, each bowl is fitted with a glow-in-the-dark label, which ensures each wire can be individually distinguished and identified even in dark surgical theatres.