Overview
Sameer Shah, a professor at the University Research Center within the the Orthopedic Surgery Department. His research within neuromuscular bioengineering is to develop tissue engineering and biomedical device based strategies for peripheral nerve regeneration. The Nerve Gripping Cuff Project is researching a mechanical structure and materials to act as a clamping device to help stimulate the nerve growth.
Project Objectives
High Priority Objectives
Determine material properties of the sciatic nerve
Narrow design concepts to 3 main designs
Perform a mechanical analysis on the design
Second Priority Objectives
Perform and implement the system in a dead nerve
Other Constraints and Issues
Size constraint on the design
Material constraint (biodegradable)
Remote control solely on the “guide wire” after implanted
Minimum compression on the nerve from the system
Only rigid component is the “anchor”
Design that conforms to the shape of the nerve
10% strain and elongation
WOW Design Solution
A design that can be implemented on a live rat subject
Problems with Old Version
Cuff is too rigid therefore creates an inflammatory response on the nerve and creates a brittle point
Cuff unravels
Risk Reduction Objectives
Research
Maximum tensile force on the nerve before elastic deformation
Maximum radial compression on a nerve before creating transverse contraction
Maximum shear forces on a nerve before deformation
Polymer materials that are degradable for the cuff
PDMS, PEG, PLGA, Gortec (PLGA and Gortec collapse)
Determining which material to use as a phantom nerve
Create a matrix of mixing ratios for the polymers
List of specimens
Rubber bands, PDMS, dead nerves
Test properties of the phantom nerve
Tensile stress - using force transducer
Radial compression - adding mass on the phantom and calculating the elongation of the cross-section
Shear forces - (ask sponsor?)
Intermediate Milestones
Weekly Meeting Time with Sponsor:
Tuesdays 9:30 am at URC