Portable vitrectomy system - product design porfolio

A vitrectomy is a surgical procedure where the vitreous humor gel that fills the eye cavity is removed. It maybe performed to clear blood and debris from the eye, to remove scar tissue, or to alleviate traction on the retina. Once surgery is complete, saline, a gas bubble, or silicone oil may be injected into the vitreous gel to help hold the retina in position. Synectic was approached to redesign a device that injects a drug in combination with the vitrectomy, through a single opening in the eye. This allows the procedure, which is normally performed in an operating room setting, to be performed in an office environment. The biggest challenge was incorporating the two functions in one single portable device.

Synectic performed an assessment on the company's existing vitrectomy system to determine the biggest pain points that needed to be addressed. The hand piece was determined to be heavy and allowed moisture to buildup inside the device. A new hand piece was developed with great emphasis on human factors and customer feedback. Our mechanical engineers also completely re-engineered the internal motor eliminating a potential overheating problem. They also insulated the device and improved the internal seals to prevent moisture buildup. Additionally, a piece of capital equipment was designed in conjunction with the hand piece that could simultaneously measure and control oscillation speed. The control box featured dual power sources: rechargeable battery and A/C. Finally, packing was designed, developed, and tested.