Herniorrhaphy, the closure of an abdominal wall hernia, is one of the most performed general surgeries worldwide. However, approximately one-third of these patients require revision surgery due to hernia recurrence, possibly caused by excess tension on the aponeurotic edge. Currently, there is no standardized method to quantify this tension. This thesis aims to design a device for use in minimally invasive herniorrhaphy to provide intraoperative information on fascial tension to assist surgeons in intraoperative decision-making.
This thesis builds upon the work of E.F. van Koten, who designed an initial device called MINT based on a linear force spring to assess tension. However, her design was not yet suitable for intraoperative use due to small components and a high component count. Therefore, this thesis focuses on redesigning the MINT to reduce the complexity of the device.
Through the redesign of the connection mechanism, the component count was reduced from fourteen (and one tool) to five. This reduction has several advantages: it simplifies the device assembly and disassembly and reduces the risk of losing components. Consequently, the new design is more suitable for use in the operating room.
Further studies should investigate the reusability of the device made from selective laser sintered PA-12, and clinical testing is required before clinical implementation.