Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41353510›Full record

ArticleAnnals of biomedical engineering2026

The SCEPTRE Suction Device: Bridging Portability and Performance in Combat Medicine.

Eric L Wiatrek, Maria J Londono, Saketh R Peri, Connor J Evans, Robert A De Lorenzo, R Lyle Hood

Abstract read
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Article in Annals of biomedical engineering, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Eric L WiatrekDepartment of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas, 78249, USA.
Maria J LondonoDepartment of Biomedical & Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas, 78249, USA.
Saketh R PeriDepartment of Biomedical & Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas, 78249, USA.
Connor J EvansDepartment of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas, 78249, USA.
Robert A De LorenzoDepartment of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas, 78249, USA.
R Lyle HoodDepartment of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas, 78249, USA. Lyle.hood@utsa.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0478-2065

Funding

National Science Foundation 2245173Small Business Innovation Research FA864924P0766
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAirway management is critical in lifesaving care, and effective airway clearance in emergency and combat settings requires portable suction devices that provide strong suction yet remain easy to carry. Existing options are either powerful but too large or portable but lack sufficient performance for field use. To address this gap, the Suction Capability for Emergencies: Portable Technology for Responders (SCEPTRE)-a compact, lightweight suction device-was developed.

methodsSCEPTRE's design and prototyping was guided by end-user feedback. Performance testing, defined a priori using published standards, characterized vacuum pressure, air flow rate, and liquid flow rate using water, blood simulant, and vomit simulant. SCEPTRE was compared to the SSCOR Quickdraw (battery-powered competitor) and Laerdal V-VAC (manually-powered competitor), with liquid flow normalized to device weight and volume.

resultsSCEPTRE achieved a vacuum pressure of 266.7 ± 2.1 mmHg and an average air flow rate of 3.44 ± 0.04 L/min. Liquid flow testing across water, blood, and vomit simulants showed low variability, with flow rates of 1.65 ± 0.05, 1.65 ± 0.04, and 0.70 ± 0.04 L/min, respectively. For water, blood, and vomit, SSCOR reached 5.51 ± 0.13, 5.21 ± 0.22, and 1.78 ± 0.17 L/min, respectively, while V-VAC achieved 2.17 ± 0.23, 2.26 ± 0.32, and 1.14 ± 0.06 L/min, respectively. When normalized by weight and volume, SCEPTRE (0.206 kg, 241 cm

conclusionSCEPTRE achieved satisfactory performance for suction across physiologically relevant fluids and demonstrated high weight- and volume-normalized efficiency. These results support its potential use in combat and prehospital care and reinforce the value of weight- and volume-based metrics for portable suction devices.

Indexed as

Airway ManagementMilitary MedicineEquipment DesignHumansSuctionVacuumAirway managementAspiratorCombat casualty careEmergency medicinePortable suctionPrehospital careProlonged field care

Identifiers

PMID41353510

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.