Contemporary scientific and design analysis applied to traditional surgical instruments

G. Thomson, X. Wu

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingOther chapter contribution

    Abstract

    Over the last decade significant research has been carried out in developing and refining new types of surgical instrument. More traditional instruments such as scalpels, forceps and the like have however changed little over the years, with the design of this equipment often predating contemporary ergonomic and design thinking. Recently however a number of safety concerns have forced a rethink on how fundamental surgical equipment is designed. In the case of surgical scalpels disposability and sharps safety have come to the fore. This paper summarises investigations into how safety related design changes have been interpreted by a number of manufacturers. Physical analysis, computer modeling and practical human factors trials were performed to determine whether these design changes have opened an opportunity to rethink the design of traditional instruments or whether the incorporation of safety features compromise ergonomic efficiency. Results indicate that the safety changes can have both positive and negative impact on the ergonomics of the devices. More significantly the external pressures from safety related policies could act as a catalyst to force reevaluation of the conservative view of traditional surgical products.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationBioMED '08
    Subtitle of host publicationProceedings of the Sixth IASTED International Conference on Biomedical Engineering
    Place of PublicationAnaheim, CA
    PublisherACTA Press
    Pages277-282
    Number of pages6
    ISBN (Print)978-0-88986-722-2
    Publication statusPublished - 2008

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