Project Overview

During the repair of wounds such as lacerations, skin tension pulls the wound apart while the provider is attempting to approximate the wound edges. Repair is therefore difficult, and imperfect approximation can lead to scarring and poor healing of the wound. This problem is often not an issue within operating rooms on larger wounds; however, it poses a challenge for physicians in emergency rooms and office settings on smaller wounds. A clinical tool will be developed to hold the wound edges together while the wound is either sutured or glued, acting as a “second pair of hands” for the physician. The device may consist of a bow-shaped design to pinch the skin together or velcro-like tool that functions by pulling the wound edges together for physicians to repair. The final design must be easy to use by physicians and must not impart any pain or markings onto the patient’s skin during use.

Team Picture

Files

• PDS (September 25, 2019)
• Design Matrix (September 26, 2019)
• Final Report (December 11, 2019)
• Final Notebook (December 11, 2019)
• Preliminary Presentation (October 4, 2019)
• Preliminary Report (October 10, 2019)
• Final Poster (December 4, 2019)

Contact Information

Team Members

• Jurnee Beilke - Team Leader
• Lizzy Schmida - Communicator
• Jack Fahy - BSAC & BPAG
• Kelly Starykowicz - BWIG

Advisor and Client

• Dr. Darilis Suarez-Gonzalez - Advisor
• Dr. Nicola Charlton - Client

Related Projects

• Spring 2020: Wound edge approximation
• Fall 2019: Wound edge approximation