Sir, we recently devised a novel use for an outdoor pursuits carry-case,1 which we thought would be of interest to your readers. As a Senior House Officer in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, often cross-covering another specialty (Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery) and working across several sites (Accident and Emergency Department, various wards), the problem arose where equipment to deal with patients on referral was difficult to obtain. As a solution to this problem and to ensure that such vital equipment was on hand and readily accessible as required, a portable, compact, multipurpose, weatherproof toolkit was devised.

The outdoor pursuits case is 150 mm (length) × 100 mm (width) × 30 mm (depth), with a 'slip-through' belt attachment and two shoulder strap attachments for alternative carrying and there is also a robust fabric covering. In addition, there is a key holder (could hold an on-call room key) and an outer smaller pocket, in which either a pager or mobile telephone could be carried. See photographs of case being worn and with contents.

This was, therefore, thought to be the ideal design to safely and conveniently transport the following equipment, most of which is effectively 'flat-pack' due to sterile packaging: four wooden spatulas, four alcohol wipes, three plastic bags for used equipment, one metal local anaesthetic syringe, three syringe needles of various lengths, three local anaesthetic cartridges (various types), one medium sized Maglite torch, 2 × 3/0 resorbable sutures, 2 × 5/0 nylon sutures, two small packets of Surgicel, one dental mirror, one disposable scalpel, one pair of college tweezers, one flat plastic instrument, one small container of temporary filling material, one small container of self-cure material, several short lengths of orthodontic wire, three cotton wool rolls, and from an ENT point of view: two Merocel nasal packs, two silver nitrate sticks and one Rapidrhino inflatable nasal balloon (all for epistaxis). This tightly packed comprehensive toolkit, which can be periodically and easily replenished during the working day, covers almost all of the on-call eventualities of the busy Maxillofacial SHO where equipment is needed and often expeditiously and can be used in conjunction with what is available on-site. (See photograph of some of the contents of the toolkit.)

We are aware that domiciliary kits for home dental care have been available for some time, but these tend to be large and heavy to carry, so are not suited to being carried on-person to several different locations. It would also appear from a search of the literature that such a compact and multiuse toolkit for this purpose has not been previously described.