Project Description:
A tracheostomy is a medical intervention that restores lung airflow by inserting a tube in the trachea to bypass an upper airway obstruction. The standard-of-care procedure involves puncturing the trachea and using a series of progressively larger dilators to expand the opening and insert a tracheostomy tube. This process is inefficient for the physician, and the insertion and removal of multiple dilators increases the patient’s risk of tissue damage, oxygen deprivation, and infection. This project aims to produce a tracheostomy device that will allow the dilation and tube insertion to be performed in a single step, decreasing the complexity and risk of the procedure. To achieve this, we developed a device for use with the guidewire and tracheostomy tube used in the conventional procedure. The final prototype features a hinged dilator tip that is inserted into the tracheal puncture and expanded using an indirect screw mechanism. As the user turns the screw, a plunger advances linearly through the device, pressing the flanges of the tip outward, allowing a tracheostomy tube to be installed in the opening. Testing on ex vivo porcine trachea samples validated the efficacy of this mechanism and design, facilitating a shorter procedure duration and streamlined workflow. The impact of this is twofold: increased efficiency for hospitals and physicians, and improved outcomes for the patient.
