Twinscope

This project was a collaborative effort completed in my Senior BME Design course (Spring 2024). We were partnered with Delll Children's Medical to develop a medical device to that would help the surgeons. Each team member was assigned an aspect of the project to focus on (besides the written reports) based on their strengths. I was responsible of creating a 3D model prototype of the Twinscope casing for the flexible endoscope that the fetal surgeon's used for Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) surgeries. ​

 

Problem Statement

Develop a custom attachment case for the glass filter that fits onto the tip of the flexible endoscope, addressing visibility issues during fetoscopic laser ablation for TTTS treatment. This case must be designed to accommodate medical-grade materials suitable for miniature 3D printing, ensuring durability, flexibility, and safety in medical procedures.

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What is the Twinscope Case?

During my senior design course, we collaborated on a sponsored project by Dell Children’s Hospital, specifically focusing on a complication encountered in the Fetal Care department called Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS). TTTS occurs when twins share a placenta with imbalanced blood vessel connections, causing one twin to receive too much blood while the other receives too little, leading to serious health risks for both twins.

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To treat TTTS, a procedure called fetoscopic laser ablation is performed using a flexible endoscope equipped with a camera and a laser. However, the current endoscope's camera cannot filter out the light emitted by the laser, causing visibility issues during the procedure. Although a suitable glass filter exists, there is no existing method to attach it to the end of the flexible endoscope.

Our objective was to develop a case to securely hold the glass filter and attach it to the end of the endoscope. This task presented several challenges:

1. Limited Access to the Endoscope: We only had one in-person viewing of the endoscope, which was otherwise unavailable due to repairs throughout the semester.

2. Prototype Development: I used Autodesk Fusion 360 to model the endoscope and 3D printed prototypes. Initial prototypes were scaled up and then scaled down to the required size of 3 mm, but the resolution of the 3D prints was problematic.

3. Material Limitations: The encasing had to be thin and made from a medically approved material that was both flexible and firm. We only had access to regular and flexible resin, which were not ideal.

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Despite these challenges, we developed a functional prototype using available materials. We discovered B9 Creations, a company developing ISO 10993 Biores silicone material for miniature 3D prints, which was perfect for our needs. We connected them with the doctor and provided the prototype and drawings to support further development, even without direct access to the endoscope or the optimal materials.

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Key Challenges

1. Endoscope Accessibility: Limited direct access hindered precise modeling and testing.

2. 3D Printing Constraints: Achieving high-resolution, small-scale 3D prints was difficult.

3. Material Suitability: Lack of access to medically approved, flexible yet firm materials.