Arthroscopic Access
Arthroscopy is becoming a more common technique for joint surgeries, with over 1.7 million arthroscopic procedures performed each year in the U.S. In hip arthroscopies, traction is used to extend the joint and provide more room for maneuverability of tools. Traction of the hip for long periods of time is associated with nerve damage and labral tears, with 74% of patients experiencing traction-related issues. After observation of surgeries and discussion with surgeons at Boston Medical Center, the need for a new, flexible arthroscopic tool was identified that could provide more maneuverability in the hip joint while reducing the extent and duration of traction.
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My Role:
In the fall semester, I was the clinical liaison for the team, responsible for communicating with our clinical mentor about observations. So far in the spring semester, I have been responsible for the design of the most updated looks-like prototype and 3D printing.
Design Process:
The design process started with surgical observations and need discovery. Once the need had been identified, we had a brainstorming session and each sketched some of the resulting ideas. From our sketches, each member of the team designed one CAD model using SolidWorks. We selected two to 3D print as looks-like prototypes. After reviewing these 3D models together, we decided on refinements for our final looks-like prototype. Moving forward., we will be creating works-like and is-like prototypes and completing DHF activities.
