Design Project One:
GI Joe-The endoscopy unit
Intro to the lower gi tract
The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) is a main component in the digestive system that is found in almost every single animal. this part of the digestive system is called the alimentary canal and consists of several organs including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus. The digestive system also refers to additional organs that aid in digestion such as the liver and pancreas.
The alimentary canal is the main course that any ingested food will take upon entering the body. Throughout this long tube-like pathway, nutrients will be absorbed from the food we eat and be stored for later use. Water will also be absorbed in this canal.
The digestive system is the target of many diseases that range in severity. Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a group of diseases that are characterized by chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. There are two main types: ulcerative colitis, which primarily affects the large intestine and rectum, and Crohn's disease which most often affects the ileum of the small intestine but can impact anywhere along the digestive tract.
The digestive system is also susceptible, like other parts of the human body, to cancer, or a malicious growth of cells. Colon cancer is typically found in the large intestine and usually, symptoms do not appear until later stages. It is treated using chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and potentially resection or removal of the colon. Stomach cancer, like colon cancer, is not usually detected until later stages. In Canada, about 25% of people diagnosed with stomach cancer will survive more than five years. this statistic includes the combined average 5-year survival of people diagnosed at all stages.
Project One Background/Objectives
Hikaru Sulu is an elderly Ostomy patient; he specifically has a colostomy and thus, resorts to certain biomedical appliances. However, Sulu suffers from a plethora of additional issues which negatively impacts his lifestyle. To elaborate, Sulu’s output is of high variability; he cannot identify when he will secrete fecal matter. As a result, Sulu frequently secretes fecal matter whilst changing into fresh appliances and must restart the process with a fresh kit. When coupled with his rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Sulu experiences discomfort, pain and unnaturally long change times; all of which negatively impact his lifestyle.
Furthermore, the fact that Sulu’s skin is extremely sensitive not only causes irritation when wearing the prescribed appliances but it also weakens the quality of adhesion between the skin and appliance. This forces Sulu to frequently change.
Finally, Sulu’s stoma continuously changes in size and conformation whilst also having an uneven surrounding contour. When the “Lock ‘n Roll Closure” appliance is on and the stoma changes its shape, the secreted contents often leaks onto the skin. Thus, causing discomfort and extreme irritation. Also, this issue forces Sulu to undergo several additional steps when changing his appliance which can consume more than 30 minutes of his time which is his primary concern.
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The project requires that our team:
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Translates the assigned problem into a set of objectives and constraints
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Our team was required to gather and document information pertaining to the assigned problem
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Our team was required to list attributes and behaviours that a design solution should have or exhibit
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Our team was required to list restrictions on the design solutions behaviours or attributes
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Design a solution for management of medical device
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Our team was required to generate several concept solutions for our design problem
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Our team was required to develop detailed sketches and schematics that clearly describe both form and function of one proposed concept
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Our team was required to conceptualize a prototype of our design
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Our team was required to clearly describe how our design will interact with the existing medical device, and what modifications to the existing medical device are necessary for implementation
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Justify consideration of our design solution for further development
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Our team was required to justify how the form and function of our design addresses our assigned design challenge
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Our team was required to justify the proposed materials, means of fabrication, and (if applicable), assembly
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Our team was required to justify any device/user interactions or device modifications
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Team Members
Aidan
Lilly
Kristin
Aditya
