2019 D Fusetec - Business SA Design for Export Awards
Celebrating
South Australia's
Design-led
Exporters
Celebrating
South Australia's
Design-led
Exporters
Celebrating
South Australia's
Design-led
Exporters
Celebrating
South Australia's
Design-led
Exporters
Main menu:
AWARDS > 2019 Gallery
2019 FINALIST
COMPANY:
Fustetec 3D Pty Ltd
PRODUCT:
Sinus Surgical Training Device
AWARD CATEGORY:
Product design
INDUSTRY SECTOR:
Medical & Scientific
DESIGN: Fusetec 3D
EXPORTING to:
USA, Canada, China, Europe
1: BRIEF DESCRIPTION:
Fusetec was challenged by the Chairman of Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery) Professor Peter John Wormald to design a soft tissue, fully operable sinus trainer to advance surgical training. After 12 months of Research and Development, Fusetec sinus trainer was endorsement. Fusetec has now been commissioned to design and develop five more sinus
2: DESIGN CHALLENGE:
Surgical training globally is highly problematic, due to the limited options of training tools available. Training is mainly performed on living patients, which involves risk to both the patient and the surgeon. The standard alternative is cadaver training which are highly regulated, they contain bacteria, require expensive wet labs with costly disposal burdens and cadavers rarely come with complex pathologies to provide adequate training. Surgical training can be compared to an old-style apprentice model known as ‘’watch one, do one, teach one.’’ This style of training creates inconsistencies in a surgeon’s abilities to perform life-saving surgery to an exacting standard.
3: DESIGN SOLUTION:
The brief was to design an operable head for sinus training to up-skill surgeons. The final endorsed product is now being used for upskilling surgeons at FESS conferences globally, anatomy training, instrument skill training, instrument demonstrations by multi -nationals replacing the 17th century practice of cadaver training. The solution commenced with acquiring the world best software, hardware and materials. Fusetec developments included making improvements to all acquisitions and developing new materials and post processing techniques. The result being the development of in-house trade secrets that will be utilised on future anatomical models.
4: DESIGN IMPACT:
Fusetec’s sinus trainer has now been demonstrated in Germany, Japan, Taiwan, USA and Mexico. In July, the trainer will be demonstrated in Venice and England. In September the product will be launched at a FESS conference in Montreal with 70 surgeons attending. Followed be a FESS conference in New Orleans with 100 surgeons attending. Then officially launched to the world at the largest ENT conference globally where 10,000 attendees will see our sinus trainers displayed on the Stryker and Medtronic stands, before they roll out globally. Fusetec has now signed a Strategic Collaboration Contract with the University of Adelaide to develop more medical training devices.
5: OTHER KEY FEATURES:
Fusetec is an IP centric company and will be in perpetual R&D mode. After receiving endorsement for our first sinus trainer, Fusetec was commissioned to design and develop five more anatomies. Fusetec is now developing two sinus models that bleed. Fusetec is now the world leader in the medical training devices sector and has been commissioned to develop eye and ear trainers, transferring the knowledge learnt. Fusetec’s operable medical training devices is disrupting the surgical training sector and adding value to the medical sector, particularly in regions where cadavers training is non-existent for religious and cultural believes. Fusetec has developed a low-cost consumable that meets surgical training needs, globally. A little-known fact is: medical errors is the third leading cause of death in USA. One surgeon / professor from Flinders Medical Center stated to me,’’ Fusetec will save more lives with our training products than I will with my scalpel.’’ As a result of our design success, Fusetec is relocating to the Adelaide University Campus where a team of surgeons will oversee future developments. We anticipate this will help lift the Universities world ranking, which intern lifts demand for medical student placements and fees. In collaboration with the University and SA Government, we have long term confidential plans that will add significantly economic impact.
