MEDICAL DEVICE NAVIGATION FIXTURE
MEDICAL DEVICE NAVIGATION FIXTURE SUMMARY
The customer needed a way to test the navigation of a new medical device through simulated vasculature, including fluid flow at body temperature.
TEAM:
Mechanical Engineer, Controls Engineer
DESIGN TOOLS USED:
Solidworks, 3D Printing
MARKET:
Medical
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
- Accommodate a wide range of different vasculature geometries to represent different patients
- Include a closed loop system for circulating fluid at body temperature (to simulate blood flow)
- Set up within clinical environment within 5 minutes
- Easy to clean
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES
The customer had an existing prototype that had been used for engineering studies, but was cumbersome to use in a clinical environment and took too long to set up (45 min+). Pipeline redesigned the fixture, including many unique and innovative improvements, as well as incorporate a more pleasing aesthetic reflective of the clinical environments in which it would be used.
3D printing was used heavily to rapidly evaluate various design options. The main components of the fixture were ultimately produced via thermoforming. The entire fixture was made leak proof using a variety of tubes and seals that created the closed loop flow, facilitating a realistic representation for surgeons to practice their device navigation on patient-specific vasculature prior to the actual surgery. A novel process for creating patient-specific vasculature was also developed as part of the project.
