Bruker Elemental has donated the use of a S1 TURBOSD handheld XRF analyzer to help Surgical Implant Generation Network (SIGN) identify and verify the metal alloys used in medical implants. This form of positive material identification (PMI) is used to find counterfeit implants made of non-surgical steels, and has aided SIGN in preparation for their Haitian relief mission.
SIGN, founded by Richland, Wash., orthopedic surgeon Dr. Lewis Zirkle, specializes in supplying orthopedic surgical kits to hospitals around the world. Their mission is to support surgeons in the developing nations by providing them with training and modern equipment so they can provide immediate surgical treatment to their patients. As a result, surgeons can treat more patients in a timely manner, and patients are soon able to walk and return to work to feed and care for their families.
Zirkle and the SIGN team are now on the ground in Haiti and working out of Kings Hospital in Port-au-Prince. Their blog is http://www.signhaiti.blogspot.com/.
In addition to the use of a S1 TURBOSD for material identification, Bruker Elemental donated in-kind labor to help prepare the orthopedic materials for shipment to Haiti. Volunteers spent the afternoon sorting and packing kits of surgical instruments, screws, implants and other orthopedic trauma items.
More information on Bruker’s handheld XRF Analyzers
