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Domains: Medical Devices, Design
Coordinated with the New Product Development division in the design of sphincterotomes (a catheter used in ERCP).
Examined the design input process and applied it to innovative solutions to address some current user needs.
Drafted 2 invention disclosures (ID) for Autotome to reduce kinks and improve bowing by 25%. One was accepted for a patent.
Invention Disclosure 1
Problem: The degrees of freedom in the tip of the catheter are limited. Doctors required immense precision and skill to manoeuver the catheter inside a patient’s bile duct. There is a 5% chance of complications due to this.
Solution: Using the concept of pneumatic actuation to bow the tip of the catheter. Two lumens (empty air pockets) added to the tip of the catheter. Pressurised air can enter either lumen, exerting pressure along the walls of the tip, allowing it to bend in the oppoite direction.
Invention Disclosure 2
Problem: The tip, if bent too much, can cause permanent deformation (kinking). BSC’s catheter has a maximum bend angle of 120 degrees, while other catheters can bend up to 160 degrees
Solution: Insert multiple small slots along the portion of the catheter that experiences compression during bowing - in order to increase the bowing angle and reduce bending force.
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