Paediatric Spinal Injection Simulator

Spinal injections are commonly required procedures to remove fluid to carry out biochemical, microbiological and cytobiological test and also for drug delivery. Medical students and practitioners are unable to practice the spinal injection procedure on cadavers, nor can they practice on patients due to the serious danger of spinal injury. Therefore when the procedure has to be carried out, there is ever a risk of injury to the patient.

The Paediatric Spinal Injection Simulator has been developed by Dr Graham Green from Mechanical Engineering and Professor Robert Carachi, Division of Developmental Medicine, Surgical Paediatrics at the University of Glasgow.

Applications

The key customers for the device are teaching hospitals and medical schools. There are 32 medical schools in the UK and over 300 Europe wide. In the USA and Canada there are over 140 AAMC accredited Medical Schools.

The materials which comprise the tissue layers on the  simulator, although robust, will wear out over time due to repeated injections, therefore this will create an ongoing demand for replacement units from teaching hospitals and Medical Schools.

Benefits

A physical simulator is essential to develop the skills of medical practitioners. This device provides accurate spine articulation, mimics human tissue properties and enables realistic touch/feel and spinal fluid removal feedback to the practitioner.

The Paediatric Spinal Injection Simulator, comprises four main novel elements:

• Artificial materials mimicking the biomechanical properties of tissue layers and ligaments in the spinal region
• Four spinal vertebra, geometrically accurate representations of the paediatric spine (2 – 11 years old)
• Spinal fluid carrier in the subarachnoid space
• Offset support rods to provide realistic curvature of the spine

The simulator assembly could be inserted into the back of a commercially available paediatric manikin. The simulator can be connected to the manikin in such a way as to allow the simulator to flex when the manikin is made to flex. The result is that the portion of spine represented within the simulator will curve in a realistic manner. That is the vertebra will open in a geometrically accurate manner to allow insertion of a hypodermic needle in the resulting space. This is ensured by the provision of a template base that limits the degree of curvature.

When combined with flexible rods of the correct stiffness, an accurate representation of the force required to curve spine is achieved. The hypodermic needle will then penetrate the subarachnoid space. The provision of a resealing tube has been shown to accurately represent the ‘feel’ of the procedure and to allow repetitive operations by medical practitioners. Once penetrated by the needle fluid contained within the tube can be withdrawn thus confirming a successful spinal injection procedure. The tube can be refilled as appropriate to accommodate multiple injections. force required to curve spine is achieved. The hypodermic needle will then penetrate the subarachnoid space. The provision of a resealing tube has been shown to accurately represent the ‘feel’ of the procedure and to allow repetitive operations by medical practitioners. Once penetrated by the needle fluid contained within the tube can be withdrawn thus confirming a successful spinal injection procedure. The tube can be refilled as appropriate to accommodate multiple injections.

Current Status

An academic prototype device has been created and a GB patent application exists for this device:
‘Medical demonstration device and method for operating a medical demonstration device’ - GB 0807830.5

Commercial Opportunity

The University of Glasgow now wish to engage with an industrial partner to develop the next generation prototype system and carry out further tests. We would like to identify a company interested in the license, development, manufacture and marketing of the Spinal Injection Simulator.

This is an excellent opportunity for an innovative company to access a novel device which will lead to improved training and skills for medical students and practitioners specialising in paediatric care.

Contact

If you are interested in finding ourt more about the Paediatric Spinal Injection Simulator, please contact Lynne Brown on +44 )0) 141 330 2730 or email l.brown@enterprise.gla.ac.uk