Surgical Instruments
Client
Single Use Surgical
Year
2002 to 2013
Type of Work
Design development
Prototyping
Design for manufacture
Ergonomics
When it comes to surgical instruments, there is a careful balance to be struck between environmental impact and patient safety; reusable instruments are better for the environment, but they can be difficult and expensive to clean, especially for certain instruments (say, fine suction tubes). And for high-risk patients (e.g. with HIV or vCJD) the potential for onward infection also means single-use items may be a better option. For this reason, we designed a broad range of instruments for Single Use Surgical Ltd (which, since 2020 has been part of the Eakin Healthcare Group).
The Adson Frazier surgical suction was originally designed for neurosurgery. However, following the initial success, the range has been dramatically expanded to meet the needs of other fields. The full range includes curved suctions, long suctions, soft tip suctions, diathermy suctions, rounded and polished tip suctions amongst others. However, the basic ergonomic handle traverses the whole range and provides surgeons with an ergonomic tool that, unlike more conventional metal instruments, can be used in a variety of different grips.
The Spackmann cannula is used to inject dye into the uterus. As with the Adson Frazier, reusable versions exist, but they are very difficult to clean effectively and economically. This single-use version is guaranteed sterile, and the novel clamp makes it significantly easier to use. The form of the handle has been articulated with strengthening ribs that also form a single line-of-draw opening to allow the steel tube to pass through. The functional improvements and aesthetics make this device unique within the field.
Suction irrigators are used to rinse and extract debris from the site of operations. This novel version incorporates a coaxial water jet to replace the standard single-lumen conduit. This novel redesign separates the inlet and outlet, thereby significantly reducing fluid use and providing much better control for the surgeon. We took the initial functional prototype (shown on the left in the case) and developed its form through ergonomic studies and functional rigs. The work culminated in a device that is comfortable to use, easy to control and manufacturable at scale.
After learning about the device, the Design Council asked us to collect some of the key prototypes and models into a ‘case’ study that they used to demonstrate the importance of industrial design in product development.
