Even in space accidents happen. In some cases, astronauts will have to close their own wounds. On Mars supplies can run short and doctors may not be available. Imagine, an astronaut punctures her arm with a piece of metal and needs to close the wound. She goes over to the 3d printer and prints my wound closure system. My design gives her multiple options for adhering the device to the skin- surgical staples, two stitches, adhesive tape, and 2-octyl cyanoacrylate. The device can be printed using plastic or nylon for a slight flexibility.The two side walls are adhered to the skin surrounding the wound, then the strip is pushed through the openings until the skin seals. The strip’s bumps are designed to lock each time one goes through the hole, so it will keep a tight hold on the area until it heals.This method requires less punctures in the skin, so it’s safer and heals faster. The design can be printed to scale for use with larger wounds.The plastic can be melted back down to be reused.

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