Prototype medical device to improve spinal surgery
Flinders University researchers are developing a surgical instrument that will enable bone graft delivery during minimally invasive spinal fusion procedures.
The concept will receive $30,000 in R&D assistance from the SA Government’s Manufacturing Works Medical Technologies Program (MTP), which is delivered as part of the university’s Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP). MDPP Director Professor Karen Reynolds explained, “The proposed product will aim to be compatible with existing fixation systems to enable bone surface preparation and graft deposit without the need to make an additional incision to the patient or remove healthy discs.”
The project therefore aims to achieve “the same level of bone graft placement during minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery as achieved during open surgery, but with additional benefits”, Professor Reynolds added. She noted that recent studies by the National Centre for Biotechnology Information show that patient benefits of minimally invasive surgeries over open surgeries include significantly less blood loss, fewer scars, shorter hospital stays, lower complication rates and a lower number of residual events.
The MDPP is a collaboration between Australian researchers, end users and industry to develop cutting-edge medical devices and assistive technologies and bring them to the market. In the case of this latest prototype, the program will allow the inventors to demonstrate the bone graft concept to future investors, as well as deliver a market intelligence report that can be utilised to craft a business case and commercialisation strategy at a later stage.
SA Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation Minister Kyam Maher said the new concept provides an example of how the MDPP can work with clinicians - such as those who proposed the device - to develop a practical solution that will ultimately benefit patients and reduce the costs incurred with longer hospital stays.
“Often the best ideas for new medical devices come from clinicians, given they are the people who use or administer the technologies,” he said.
“However, they don’t necessarily have the expertise or capabilities to actually develop the products - which is where the MDPP can step in.”
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