Evaluating effectiveness and clinical applications of a novel expandable trocar

Trocars are specialized medical devices which are commonly used in laparoscopic surgery, a minimally invasive procedure used to examine and/or operate inside the abdominal cavity. While morbidity and complications using this approach are significantly lower than open procedures, over half of all laparoscopic complications are attributed to trocar-related injuries during entry into the body. Additional inefficiencies and patient risk arise intraoperatively due to various trocar-related issues. Xpan has developed a novel miniaturized yet expandable trocar technology to help combat these problems. To advance Xpan’s R&D and commercial goals, this project will focus on evaluating the technical performance of the Xpan technology relative to standard trocars. Through literature and surgeon surveys, we will identify relevant clinical scenarios where the Xpan technology would address critical gaps.

Faculty Supervisor:

Christopher Bouwmeester

Student:

Partner:

Xpan

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Toronto

Program: