Development of a MEMS-based sensor array to characterise in situ loads during scoliosis correction surgery.
Finite element analysis was implemented in three stages to design a piezoresistive, micro-electro-mechanical systems sensor array consisting of four-terminal sensors placed on deformable silicon diaphragms. This sensor array was used to retrofit the Contrel-Dubousset instrumentation in order to capture forces and moments applied by surgeons in real time during scoliosis correction surgery. Outputs from the sensor array have been designed to be compatible with a low-power wireless data transmission system that is currently being developed with a collaborating team in the biomedical industry. The designed sensor array is capable of resolving forces of up to 1000 N and moments of up to 4000 N mm in three dimensions during surgery. A process flow to produce the first prototyped version of this micro sensor with known performance characteristics is presented and tested. Acceptable correlation was found between the performance of the manufactured prototypes, numerical simulation and similar documented devices.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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Benfield
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Lou
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Moussa
D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008365:Manometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014159:Transducers