Collaboration with MGH clinicians to conceptualize, design, prototype, and test a solution for percutaneous drain dislodgement, a common drain complication.
Published in Nature Scientific Reports (PDF).
Abstract:
Percutaneous drains have provided a minimally invasive way to treat a wide range of disorders from abscess drainage to enteral feeding solutions to
treating hydronephrosis. These drains suffer from a high rate of dislodgement of up to 30% resulting in emergency room visits, repeat hospitalizations,
and catheter repositioning/replacement procedures, which incur significant morbidity and mortality. Using ex vivo and in vivo models,
a force body diagram was utilized to determine the forces experienced by a drainage catheter during dislodgement events, and the individual components
which contribute to drainage catheter securement were empirically collected. Prototypes of a skin level catheter securement and valved quick release
system were then developed. The system was inspired by capstans used in boating for increasing friction of a line around a central spool and quick
release mechanisms used in electronics such as the Apple MagSafe computer charger. The device was tested in a porcine suprapubic model, which demonstrated
the effectiveness of the device to prevent drain dislodgement. The prototype demonstrated that the miniaturized versions of technologies used in
boating and electronics industries were able to meet the needs of preventing dislodgement of patient drainage catheters.