Every field has people who see a problem and decide to fix it. In medicine, those people often change the way others work forever. Dr Craig A. Troop is one of them. In his book There is a Bomb in My Vagina: Short Medical Stories from 45 Years in Practice, he shares not only stories from emergency rooms but also his own journey as an inventor who refused to give up. The story of the Troop Elevation Pillow, or TEP, is one of persistence, disappointment, and eventual success.
The problem was simple but serious. By the late 1990s, more patients coming into surgery were obese. Morbid obesity, defined as a Body Mass Index over 40, made anesthesia more complicated and risky. When lying flat on their backs, these patients could not breathe easily, and intubation, the process of inserting a breathing tube, became much harder. Traditional positioning did not work well because the excess weight around the chest and abdomen compressed the lungs and airways.
Dr Troop realised that the solution was not in the tools but in the positioning. He developed a foam ramp that elevated the patient’s upper body and head. The ramp aligned the airway in a way that made breathing easier and allowed doctors to insert breathing tubes safely. It was a simple idea, but one that could save lives.
He called it the Troop Elevation Pillow. What started as a small experiment soon became a medical innovation. Dr Troop introduced it to colleagues, lectured about it across the United States and internationally, and shared it with universities and hospitals. Over time, it gained recognition. The TEP was referenced in textbooks and adopted by training programs.
But success did not come easily. Some colleagues dismissed the idea outright. A few even mocked it, calling it a gimmick. Others refused to use it, insisting they did not need help to intubate their patients. The resistance hurt, but Dr Troop kept going because he knew it worked. His goal was not profit but safety.
As the TEP gained popularity, a new challenge emerged: imitation. Competing companies began producing copies, often without permission. Some claimed that imitation was flattery, but for Dr Troop, it felt like theft. Years of hard work, research, and travel were being taken and repackaged for others’ gain. Still, he learned to move on, taking comfort in knowing that his invention had made anesthesia safer for thousands of patients around the world.
Eventually, a medical company purchased the rights to the TEP, allowing it to reach even more hospitals. Today, the pillow continues to be used globally, improving patient safety and helping medical professionals manage airways with confidence.
Beyond the story of invention, this chapter from Dr Troop’s career is about persistence and integrity. He saw a problem, found a solution, and refused to quit even when others doubted him. He also learned hard lessons about business, including how innovation often attracts imitation and how money can complicate even the best intentions.
Warren Buffett once said, “Do not do business with jerks, because once money starts to flow, everything will get worse.” Dr Troop quotes this line as a reminder that success without ethics is not success at all.
The Troop Elevation Pillow story is not just about medicine or business. It is about the mindset needed to make a difference. It shows that even in a demanding career, creativity and compassion can coexist. Dr Troop’s innovation saved lives not because it was revolutionary but because it was practical, and he cared enough to make it happen.
In There is a Bomb in My Vagina, this story stands out as proof that progress often begins with one simple idea and the courage to follow through. It is a story about persistence, humility, and the satisfaction of knowing you left something behind that made the world a little safer.
Head to Amazon to purchase your copy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/196964446X/.
