A GUIDED TRACHEOSTOMY DEVICE
An independent research internship within the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine.
The aim of this project was to develop a guide device that will facilitate a percutaneous tracheostomy for emergency care providers in prehospital airway management.
View my Bioengineering Intramural Internship Final Presentation!
I initiated this project with a proposal to the Swanson School of Engineering, seeking acceptance to the Summer Undergraduate Research Internship (SURI). Once the project was accepted, I was responsible for all project management, with guidance from my mentors, Dr. James Menegazzi and Dr. David Salcido.
First, I generated a Gantt chart which detailed the twelve-week duration of the project and delineated tasks into five phases. This was crucial in order to keep myself on track and ensure I met my mentors' expectations.
After numerous hand sketches, low resolution prototypes, and receiving expert feedback, I generated a 3D CAD rendering that met the desired measurement specifications using Autodesk Fusion360.
Then, I collaborated with the Swanson Center for Product Innovation to properly configure the rendering for manufacturing. This process also involved selecting materials and manufacturing methods.
The current prototype will potentially be tested for viability and demonstrating proof of concept in Dr. Menegazzi's porcine laboratory.
