SutureAid surgical tools

Frequently surgeons apply sutures with an ancient technique of needles and forceps. Unfortunately, this technique is not without danger. The needle is often held between the fingers. Research has shown that surgeons are often involved in needlestick incidents. Not only does this cause considerable danger of contamination to the surgeons, but also to the patients.

A neurosurgeon, a family doctor and a Canadian businessman decided to solve this problem by the use of design. They set up the company SutureAid and asked StudioMOM and Panton to design a line of forceps that not only offer safety, but also have a surplus value, so that the surgeons will switch to these in spite of years of training with the traditional forceps. The design has been consciously chosen to resemble the functioning of the classic suture technique. In this way the years of practice and training with the classic model are preserved. Moreover, the design has also been adapted to appeal to the target group so that they will want to use it. And finally it is also a design that will make suturing faster, so that the hospitals will want to acquire it. These forceps will be on the market by the end of 2008.

Mars Holwerda, studioMOM: Design Panton medical product innovations: project management, engineering, testing SutureAid: Initial Idea, medical expertise

Dutch Design Award winner