UMBILICAL CORD CLAMP DESIGN
WPI Biomedical Engineering Virtual Internship
During the summer of 2021, I was a part of a team of 5 tasked to develop an inexpensive, sterilizable and easily reproducible umbilical cord clamp for babies in developing countries, using locally-sourced materials.
Background research:
We first conducted background research of the different methods of cutting an umbilical cord. Of these methods include a lotus birth which is a natural way of removing the umbilical cord, a silk/cotton tie which is used to clamp the cord, and burning off the cord using a candle or some sort of heat.
Choosing a country:
We chose to focus our design in Somalia as the health care system in Somalia is weak, poorly resourced and equitably distributed. As a result, 3.2 million women and men are in need of emergency health services.
Material chosen:
We chose to use polyphenylsulfone (PPSF or PPSU) as it is steam sterilizable, inexpensive and accessible. It is also 3D printable, flexible, impact resistant, highly durable, and can withstand high temperatures.
Result:
Our result is am umbilical cord clamp (designed using SolidWorks) made of polyphenylsulfone as shown below.
