Vacuum Assisted Sternotomy Retractor

Sternotomy is a technique commonly used for open heart surgeries which utilizes a sternal retractor to “crack” open the chest of a patient, granting access to a patient’s heart. The resulting bleeding after opening the chest requires a nurse, tech, or additional physician to constantly vacuum the operating site of blood, as it obstructs the surgeon’s view of the operating site. 

A need was identified by surgeons at Mass General Hospital to provide a product for sternotomy procedures that would eliminate the need for a second pair of hands to constantly vacuum the blood from surrounding tissues. 

The challenge was to create a form factor and functioning prototype for a device that compliments current Sternotomy practices in wicking or vacuuming blood away from the operating site to a cell salvage machine. 

HaA conducted research to figure out the dimensions required for our device to fit properly within the context of a sternotomy procedure. The team observed live sternotomy procedures to further understand the flow of the procedure, pain points, and overall usability of a sternal retractor. Various prototype designs were assembled and tested within a short time frame in order to conclude the feasibility of our concepts. Materials research and bread board testing were executed to enhance the efficacy of the device and make the design highly manufacturable. 

HaA provided various concepts and working prototypes with multiple options for blood retrieval. A specialty foam on the outside of the retractor arms was selected to trap the blood after which the vacuum tubing would escort into a commercially available blood cell saver. Prototypes of various tubing manifolds and layouts were explored and tested to be successful, as well as a heparin drip line to prevent blood clotting.