Surgical Electronics Shop
Shown above is the mass spectrometer for respiratory gas analj'sis, which is
being assembled by the shop for Drs. Wirt W. Smith (shown above at left)
and Herbert A. Saltzman for use in the hyperbaric i)rojeet.
Photos by Jim Wallace
University Photographer
It was early recognized that
where there was a machine there
usually were electronics, and one
operated only with the full co
operation of the other.
Thus came the creation of the
Surgical Instrument Shop’s
counterpart—tlie Surgical Elec
tronics Sho]).
This second shop was also cre
ated iinder Dr. Deryl Hart’s
direction; and this shop, just
as the Instrument Shop, was es
tablished as a service for all de
partments and divisions, w'hile
financially supported by the De
partment of Surgery.
The major portion of the work
done today by the shop is the
assemblage of equipment ship
ped into the medical center, the
repair and routine maintenance
of electronic equipment, and
electronic design of equipment.
Countless items have been as
sembled, including electronic
timers, electi'onic Zero Refer
ence Units, and switching pan
els.
Numerous items have been
made or modified to answer the
needs of various areas. For Dr.
Madison Sj)ach the shop modi
fied tape recorders and an X-ray
machine so that both could be
remotely controlled. Equip
ment which would measure pa
tient response was prepared for
Dr. Walter D. Obrist, Profes
sor of Medical Psychology. A
Mr. Bill Sims, foreman
body scanner was built for Dr.
Felix Pircher, Chief of the Iso
tope Division, and for Dr. Jack
Goodrich, Chief of the Division
of Nuclear Medicine, the shop
engineered the magnification of
portions of X-ray negatives on
closed circuit TV.
The more tedious and delicate
repairs include those made on:
EEG and EKG machines, lab
oratory ovens, Beckman Instru
ments and Ampex Tape Record
ers.
The future of the Surgical
Electronics Shop is bright. Un
der the direction of Mr. Bill
Sims, who became the new shop
foreman in January, the shop is
being expanded. With expan
sion, it is hoped that even a
greater variety of projects can
be undertaken.
Then in 1964 the .shop built
a heart/lung machine designed
by Dr. F. IMaxton Manney and
Dr. Ivan W. Brown.
Another machine, a miniature
heart/lung machine, was built
by the shop for use in the hyper
baric chamber. Designed by Dr.
Mauney, Dr. Gordon Moor and
Dr. Brown, this machine is now
under experimental study in the
chamber.
And there have been countless
ada})tations of commercially
available instruments to fit in
dividual needs.
Occasionally patents are ob
tained on items, b>it Mr. Bar
ber emphasizes that the shop
is “only a development shop,
not a nuuHifactTiring shop.”
Royalties from i)atented items
built commercially are paid to
Duke University, with the shop
and the individual sharing the
royalty proceeds.
An example of a patented
item is the anesthesia inhaler
which was built to the specifi
cations outlined by Dr. C. R.
Stephen. The inhaler, first used
by women in delivery, was de
signed so that the patient could
administer the anesthesia to her
self to relieve pain. Later the
inhaler was also used by pa
tients having dressings changed
and bj’ those undergoing oral
surgery. Patented almost 15
years ago, the inhaler is still
being produced commercially.
In addition to the items made
for research and patient care
purposes, there have been items
built to answer needs of prac
ticality and servicability: surg
ical supph' tables, special wash
basins for use in the OR, sup
ply carts, operating tables and
urology tables.
And the list goes on and on.
The future?
It looks very full.
Duscussing Dr. Beard’s new incubator—Bill Sim.s, foreman of the Surgical
Electronics Shop, Charles Waddell, instrument maker, and A. .1. Langlois,
Research Assistant for Dr. Beard.
INTERCOM - 5
FEBRUARY 1966