Team 30

Spiritus: Improving Tracheostomy Stability and Recover

Team Members:
Madilyn Bray
Alyssa Kritz
Quincy Lyons
Taylor Pennington
Gabriel De La Rocha

Team Mentors:
Sara Belko - Thomas Jefferson University

Dr. Brent Vernon - Arizona State University

YouTube Link:
View the video link below before joining the zoom meeting

Zoom Link:
https://asu.zoom.us/j/83005257588

Abstract

A tracheostomy is a surgical procedure that is performed when the usual route of breathing is blocked or reduced. Surgeons create a hole through the neck and into the trachea, and a tracheostomy (trach) tube is inserted into the incision that runs down the trachea to provide an airway. Currently, tracheostomies have a neck flange, balloon cuff, and trach tie to reduce movement. The mechanical connection point between the neck flange and trach tube has very little accommodation for patient movement. Patients with trach tubes are often compromised and ill due to associated complications, including tube movement and accident displacement. These complications create discomfort and irritation- often leading to bacterial tracheostomy-associated respiratory tract infections (bTARTIs). These types of infections occur in over half of patients in the ICU, and patients are at higher risk early after the procedure. The high occurrence of these potentially preventable complications calls for a simple solution to improve the tube stability and lower the incidence of resulting irritation and infections. The concept for such a solution is an add-on system to reduce bTARTIs by improving tube stability and promoting healing through the prevention of bacteria growth at the surgical site. The device includes a flexible system or material that is configurable to the patient and placed at the surgical site. The device is composed of cartilage-like material to accommodate a broader range of motion and enable a more stable tube attachment. Further, fabricating the material to possess antimicrobial properties inhibits bacteria growth and further reduces the chance for infection. These features construct a mechanical barrier that works to lower the incidence of bTARTIs that over half of tracheostomy patients develop. By preventing complications, additional expenses and cost burdens can be alleviated for patients who receive this procedure. The global tracheostomy market size is expected to continue to grow, increasing to 199.3 million USD by 2025. Due to the functionality and integration of biomaterial features, this product has high potential to be competitive within this market segment.