Together with our team's client, Dr. Brian E. Walczak, an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we aimed to improve the current screw delivery system to join the fractured os acetabular rim, as it currently uses a fragile guide wire and it interferes with MRI scans, causing an increased risk for patients and poor medical image quality.
Delivery System
The system consists of a screw delivery system made of a custom 465 Stainless Steel material, which houses 2 delivery tubes, with one acting as a guide for the drill bit to allow the surgeon to drill through the hip bone and the other will be pre-loaded with the screw.
Screw
Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) was chosen as the material because it exhibits biocompatibility, radiopacity, high strength, and extended degradation resistance. Its versatility in injection molding and 3D printing also further supports its selection as the preferred screw material.
Prototype Testing
A mock surgery was performed on a cow pelvis' acetabular rim to simulate the delivery system in action. This step was crucial in obtaining more feedback from Dr. Walczak.
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