Volume 211 - Issue 11
Repurposing medical equipment
Author: R John Massie
Med J Aust 2019; 211 (11): 527-528. || doi: 10.5694/mja2.50410
Published online: 9 December 2019
Published online: 9 December 2019
Some ideas on repurposing medical equipment to set you on a creative journey to save the planet
Repurposing is an ancient craft, likely going back to our descent from the trees and beginning of our upright journey. Early stone tools, difficult to make, would have been reused or refashioned as technology advanced. Some items may have lost their original use or form and been reinvented as something new. Perhaps made into an object with new utility or adapted as a form of art. There's no limit to human imagination.
In our modern medical world there is a growing amount of single use items, old equipment and just plain junk. With the finite resources of our ailing planet and growing mountains of landfill, we all have an obligation to find uses and homes for unwanted medical equipment.
In this pictorial essay I submit images of some items around my workplace that I have found uses for (Box 1, Box 2, Box 3, Box 4, Box 5 and Box 6). I hope this inspires you to repurpose, reuse, remanufacture, reengineer and relove used medical equipment.
Box 1 – Office refreshments
An old sphygmomanometer makes a good stubbie holder. There is a pneumatic inflation device to provide a snug fit for all can sizes. It can be placed in the freezer before use to keep beverages cold. There is a handy retrieval cord in case the can is placed too far away or you move. A small volume spacer is an ideal Smarties or M&M's holder.
Box 2 – Coffee time
The bottom half of a large volume spacer is an excellent coffee filter holder to make proper coffee in your office. Remember to make it in a reusable cup! A CPAP driver is an excellent milk frother for your coffee. At 10 cm pressure, the gas flow of around 15 L/minute provides good frothiness without too much mess. The CPAP driver can still be used for your afternoon sleep if the coffee hasn't worked.
Box 3 – Kitchen utensils
Obstetric forceps can be used to get hot food from the oven with just one hand. These forceps are easy to come by because caesarean section is the industry standard for safe delivery of babies, making forceps nearly redundant. Don't expect that an obstetrician under the age of 60 years will be able to show you how to assemble them. Obstetric forceps also make great salad servers. I recommend washing them after delivering the chicken. Artery forceps make very useful salmon bone removers. A handwash container makes an excellent detergent dispenser in the kitchen
Box 4 – Dining options
Cardboard bedpans make excellent fruit or serving bowls. The good old “bluey” serves as an excellent place mat, the waterproof lining protecting the table surface.
Competing interests
No relevant disclosures.