Description:

Rhinologist's performing Sinus surgery are required to stand / sit over the patient’s upper torso under endoscope guidance while viewing a screen. They hold the endoscope with minor adjustments using their less dominant hand and perform surgery to remove and manipulate tissue / cartilage / bone with their dominant hand. The procedures can be up to 3 hours in duration and the Rhinologist can experience fatigue in their arms and lower back. As the hand holding the endoscope is not required to move much there is compelling reason to offer a forearm support for this purpose. During our research / user empathy we observed Mayo instrument trolleys with pillows taped to the surface which validated the need, but we heard complaints about the space that they occupied over the patient and how they were a trip hazard on the floor.
The design needed to:
Comfortably accommodate different operator heights and body shapes.
Accommodate different operator preferences regarding freedom of forearm movement.
Not restrict procedural access to the patient, often conducted with a supporting operator, so especially not taking up floor space.
Not interfere or contact the patient’s head.
Not include metal to accommodate electromagnetic instrument guidance used in Rhinology procedures.
Be quick and easy to install and remove in emergencies.
Be durable and easy to clean.
Conform to ISO13485 device design guidelines for a Class 1 device.
Have a professional design and finish for patient reassurance.
The design of the Clinician Arm Support presents as a well-proportioned clean and simple solution for the required application. The intuitive form utilises highlights of bright blue, informing the clinician of elements to interact with. The colour usage and materials form part of a suite of solutions in the field of Image guided medicine and are key components of the companies’ brand language.
The carbon fibre has rich appeal due to the depth of the visible cloth weave and is a material associated with high performance. It is used for its excellent radiolucency, strength and weight. The strength allows it to cantilever over the patient, with the baseboard being well secured by their body mass. The product weight can be kept to a minimum by utilizing a carbon fibre skin surrounding an aerated foam core, ensuring ease of handling by the nursing team responsible for set up.
The product addresses the stakeholders needs well due to the involvement they each had in the product development. Designers were able to observe different setups at private and public surgeries for Rhinology; and hear the pain points first hand. These became critical markers of success for the product.
It was released in June 2022 and the initial focus is on Rhinology procedures but wider clinical scope is anticipated in other medical specialties.