Weekly Reports

In these two weeks we finalized our team contract and learned about the expectations of the entire senior design course.

We have established a client (Linda Wu) and a project idea- developing a frame for
the hip dysplasia, post operational casting process. Through class activities, we have also written up initial project scopes and design specifications, and we are planning on meeting with the orthopedic surgeon, who identified the idea, early next week to flush out more details about the project. We are also in the process of interviewing with Sling Health to see if we can potentially partner with them for both funding and developing our product to be commercializable.

We met with Dr. Hosseinzadeh (orthopedic surgeon that proposed the idea for the project), and he helped clarify some of the design specifications that we weren’t sure about the metrics for. We had initially assumed that the product would be attaching to the side rails on the OR table, but we now understand the device needs to be able to attach only at the ankles to the foot hold already on the OR table and stabilize the patient while allowing enough mobility in the hips and knees. Additionally, we are working on setting up bi weekly check in times with are client Linda Wu, so that
we can stay on top of the project.

Meetings this week about progress through preliminary report and presentation- dividing up sections of report and discussing presentation content. We also met with Professor Klaesner and Professor Schreiber to discuss refining our need statement and project scope so that it addresses the population more specifically and the need is stated more directly. Will be giving practice presentation to AI this weekend and have a refined and practiced presentation by Monday.

The work this week mainly comprised of writing and presenting the preliminary report for this project. Through this process, we were able to gain a more thorough understanding of the nature of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip and the surgery it requires, the existing solutions for our problem on the market, and the design specifications that we would need to satisfy in developing this device. Additionally, after the presentation, we have determined that it would be beneficial to look into any liability issues that locally customized spica tables may evoke and also potentially conducting interviews with doctors who use these improvised solutions. In our meeting with our client this week, we hope to begin organizing a hospital visit so that we can observe the setting in which the device will be used and conduct any measurements that we may need in designing a prototype.

This week, we updated our client on the status of our project and discussed potential next steps, and have decided to move forward with interviewing various hospitals and doctors regarding their opinion on hip dysplasia frames. We are aiming to collect more information on challenges that physicians face with the casting process and what their current solution to the problem is- whether it’s improvised solutions or manufactured tables. We would also like to find out more about how other doctors believe the ankles should be secured and quantitatively how adjustable the ankles should be in the securements. Additionally, we are also in contact with a representative from the St. Louis Children’s Hospital to continue the process of organizing a visit in order to be able to observe the Operating Room environment and existing equipment.

This week, in class, we have started the process of brainstorming possible solutions to our problem and to ensure a more thorough search scope we will be doing a more indepth review of existing solutions, how they differ from each other, and any other medical devices that have similar uses that we could learn from. We are also starting to schedule interviews to learn more about the perspective of various doctors, hospitals, and healthcare staff other than the client we are working with. This will hopefully allow us to design a well-rounded device that is beneficial for not just one doctor and hospital, but for medical staff experiencing the same issue all around the country.

This week we were able to compile a list of hospitals at varying income levels (low, mid-range, and high income) with accompanying doctors and nurses who either specialize in pediatric orthopedic surgery, have an interest in hip disorders or fractures, or have had affiliations with WashU, since these are the professionals in the field that are most likely to respond to our injuries. We have sent the majority of the emails out and are starting to hear back from people and waiting to hear back others that we have contacted. Additionally, we also plan on reaching out via phone number to those contacts, specifically those that specialize in hip dysplasia, that we could not find an email for to see if they would be willing to conduct an informal interview or meeting with us

This week we met with two of the surgeons that we reached out to last week for a quick interview over zoom. One of the surgeons was from Texas Children’s Hospital’s satellite sites, which is much less developed clinic compared to large hospitals, so they struggle more with having enough hands in the OR. Some prominent problems that we noticed that were common between the doctors and our client were: concern for lack of assistance/unskilled assistants in the OR and the need for a support mechanism in the patient’s legs. The major problem that doctors face in the casting process is keeping the hips, knees, and ankles at just the right angle and position while the whole cast molding and setting process is taking place. Additionally, we are exploring possibilities of adding a method of securement to the well leg that is not typically casted all the way down to the ankle.

This week, we practiced delivering a concise 3-minute elevator pitch that we could potentially use in design competitions in the future, focusing on effectively communicating the purpose and impact of our hip dysplasia frame. Additionally, we learned about the various types of
intellectual property, exploring how it could apply to our project by conducting patent searches and drafting preliminary claims to protect our unique design features. We are continuing our investigation on the feasibility of adding structural support to the well leg, in addition to the ankle stabilizers, to improve stability during the casting process as well.

This week in senior design, we explored the ethical principles crucial to medical device development, including patient safety and informed consent, and discussed the importance of these values in guiding our design decisions. We also reviewed relevant industry standards such as ISO, ANSI, and IEEE, identifying specific guidelines that may apply to our prototype to ensure it meets quality and safety standards. In addition, we are working on our semester’s progress report by creating a Pugh chart to compare solution ideas based on key criterias, holding brainstorming sessions to refine our approach, and drafting a preliminary budget to estimate project costs for materials, prototyping, and testing phases.

This week in senior design, we focused on drafting our progress report, due next week, and preparing our progress presentation. We sketched out various alternative solutions and feature variations, which we analyzed using Pugh charts for three different features: the mechanism for positioning ankle securements, the method of attaching the device to the OR table, and the method of elevating and supporting the lower legs of the patient. These solutions were developed through brainstorming sessions and feedback gathered from interviews with experts, including pediatric orthopedic surgeons. The final solution consists of three key components: an adjustable backboard and pelvic support bar for upper body elevation and lower body access, Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFO) mounted on a ball joint for secure positioning and adjustability, and an extendable calf support panel for stabilizing the well leg

This week in senior design, we began the new semester by organizing key objectives and establishing a framework for continued progress. We scheduled bi-weekly meetings, starting next week, with our client to maintain regular communication and obtain ongoing feedback. We are hoping to be able to observe a procedure in the OR sometime early this semester and will be discussing that at our next check-in. Additionally, we developed a comprehensive plan for prototype development, through the sticky-note activity, outlining the necessary steps and milestones to ensure we remain on track and meet project deadlines effectively.