Surgical Device Engineering
People have been studying the human body for centuries. "Study of Proportions" by Leonardo da Vinci.Copyright http://pantransit.reptiles.org/images/sorted/illo/misc/
The Medical Instrumentation lesson presents a description of the broad field of biomedical engineering, including the variety of biomedical devices and the issues that biomedical engineers take into consideration. This overview enables students to gain an understanding of the substantial underlying technology in the field of medicine. In the associated activity, Surgical Resident for a Day, students work in teams as surgical residents using surgical instruments to complete tasks that are inside of a box, hidden from direct view—a setup similar to laparoscopic surgery.
The Put Your Heart into Engineering lesson presents the human vascular system and how engineering problem solving can be applied to it. In the associated activity, No Valve in Vain, students act as biomedical engineers to design, build, test and redesign prototype one-way heart valves using plastic tubing, tape, plastic, foam and wire, testing them with water to represent blood moving through the heart.
Engineers have impacted the healthcare industry through the invention of creative devices that prolong life and assist in saving lives. The two activities highlight particular aspects of biomedical engineering: creating replacement heart valves and designing medical and surgical instruments.
- Surgical Device Engineering