A device for debridement using high pressure water jets
Author(s)
Brown, Ashley (Ashley A.)![Thumbnail](/bitstream/handle/1721.1/92223/897470313-MIT.pdf.jpg?sequence=5&isAllowed=y)
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Other Contributors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Advisor
Ian W. Hunter.
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Removing devitalized tissue from chronic wounds through debridement is critical to promote wound healing. In this thesis, technology using high-speed water jets is explored toward applications for debridement. After presenting possible techniques, the thesis expands on one promising method using two impinging cutting jets that is further developed and demonstrated on simulated necrotic tissue. Surgical blades are used to score the tissue in advance of the nozzles. Vacuum suction is applied to locally evacuate waste. At optimal parameters of 75 pm orifices spaced 2 mm apart at 1100, the device was able to excise soft necrotic tissue at 6 MPa. This configuration was able to make side-by-side excisions and caused no visible damage to the surrounding tissue. Furthermore, preliminary tests suggest that the device does not propagate bacteria into soft tissue. Suggestions for improvements to this technology are given, particularly with respect to accidental injection of water into cut tissue. The data suggests that the device shows promise as a debridement technique.
Description
Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2014. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (pages 95-99).
Date issued
2014Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical EngineeringPublisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Mechanical Engineering.