Ninian Peckitt - Engineering Assisted Surgery
Mr Ninian Peckitt, Consultant Cosmetic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and Clinical Director at the National Centre for Aesthetic Facial and Oral Surgery, aims to use the very latest engineering advances to benefit patients in need of reconstructive facial surgery. In fact, he coined the phrase ‘Engineering Assisted Surgery’ which captures his vision.
Mr Peckitt has pioneered radical new technologies to treat patients with head injuries and advanced cancers of the mouth and throat. Such conditions often require the removal of large pieces of bone, which are then replaced by implants.
Using computerised CT and MRI scanners to build 3D models of patients’ heads and then transferring data to rapid prototyping devices, such as stereolithography machines, enables him to accurately create full -sized models. Using the models operations can be planned and, crucially, bespoke titanium implants can be CNC machined to exactly fit the patients’ facial parameters.
He believes medicine in general, and surgery in particular, still has much to learn from manufacturing. “In the 1960s major manufacturers revolutionised their processes using automation techniques and implementing a range of IT solutions, which have continues to develop.
“By contrast, the NHS still has a long way to go in rationalising its procedures and using the latest and most appropriate technologies”
Both reconstructive surgery and toolmaking deal with very complex and precise 3D shapes. Recent advances in engineering technology have proved their worth in manufacturing and there is no reason why they should not also benefit patients.
As well as trauma treatment, the advanced engineering techniques can be applied to surgical replacement or augmentation of worn bones and organs – a need that can only increase as life expectancies extend.
Not only are the latest engineering techniques used to generate the model data and subsequently machine the implant, they are also the foundation of the accurate measurements required at each key stage.
John Sullivan, Ph.D., D.Sc.
John Sullivan, Ph.D., D.Sc., is Professor of Surface Science and Head of the Surface Science Group at Aston University and Director of Midlands Surface Analysis Ltd. He is a Fellow of both the Institute of Physics and the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
His research interests have centred on the development and application of physical and chemical surface analytical techniques in the solution of problems of industrial relevance. He also leads Midlands Surface Analysis Ltd, a company which provides surface and material analysis services to a range of industries, including the medical device industry. ‘Technology Partnerships’ stimulating growth; a collaboration between Manufacturing, Academia and the Healthcare sector.
Medical Implant Surface and Properties Analysis
Materials used in the production of long term implantable devices must be such that the surfaces cannot produce any adverse local or systemic effects in the host. The materials must be biocompatible, but what is regarded as biocompatible for one application is not necessarily biocompatible for another. What is clear is that the materials must not lead to mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, hypersensitivity, anaphylaxis, or thromboembolic events. What is far less clear is if they should have properties which encourage protein or cell attachment, inflammation, fibrosis or calcification.
Materials which are mechanically or economically most suited for the production of application specific medical devices may not fulfil required bio-reactive criteria and might even produce adverse effects on the specific bio-system. Since all important interaction take place at the surface of the device exposed to the bio-system, it is vitally important to have complete knowledge of the chemical, physical and mechanical properties of the surface during design, production and use of the implants.
This presentation covers the techniques available for such investigations and illustrated the use of these techniques through case studies.
Bryn Jones - Bristol Maid
Technology Partnerships Stimulating Growth: a collaboration between manufacturing, academia and the healthcare sector.
Son of a Warwickshire farmer, Bryn Jones began his career as a manufacturing engineer focused on manufacturing and product design.
After several years in the automotive sector (NSK Bearings, Krupp Camford), Bryn became head of engineering at herbicides firm Nomix-Chipman.
After a spell as a freelance design and manufacturing consultant, Bryn joined Hospital Metalcraft (Bristol Maid), rising to his current position of operations director in January 2008. Bryn’s portfolio includes production, supply chain, engineering, and new product development, and so in October 2008 led Bristol Maid’s joint entry in the Design Bugs Out competition.
The entry triumphed in the NHS Bedside Cabinet category and the product launched in 2010. It has been a key plank in the NHS’ fight against hospital acquired infections ever since. Bryn is married with two children.
Over the past four years Bristol Maid™ has worked closely with the Imperial NHS Trust at St Mary’s Hospital London and the Helen Hamlyn Centre at the Royal College of Arts, to develop new equipment for the healthcare sector. The design and development of the new equipment stimulated by academic research, innovative design and assisted to market by a commercial partner. The commercial partner (Bristol Maid™) has used modern ‘high-tech’ manufacturing techniques to enable the design concepts to become commercially viable products for the NHS.
Phil Russell - SECO
Medical Market Overview
With an aging population and increases in obesity there is an ever-growing market for replacement implant body parts from knees and hips to dental structures. The size of the market for implants is increasing worldwide. With this positive growth potential new developments in both technology and materials such as additive manufacturing are changing the way these items are being manufactured.
