Revolutionizing Cleft Palate Repair: A Novel Approach to Head Stabilization
Date of Award
6-2023
Document Type
Restricted (Opt-Out)
Department
Bioengineering
First Advisor
Shane Cotter
Language
English
Keywords
capstone, cleft palate, pediatric, head stabilization, surgery, biomedical, device
Abstract
Roughly 1 in 1600 infants in the US each year are born with cleft palate, an orofacial defect characterized by a hole in the roof of a child's mouth. Children with a cleft palate may experience difficulty breathing and eating, delayed speech development, hearing loss, and dental complications. Corrective procedures most commonly occur in the first year of life, requiring the child to undergo intensive surgery. Head stabilization during this operation is an afterthought, with no designated device to adjust the angle of the child's neck and provide access to the palate. We developed a device that prioritizes safety, stability, and precision, decreasing the complexity of the surgical setup and ultimately improving pediatric palate repairs.
Recommended Citation
Boule, Nathaniel; Kent, Paige; Rush, Brynne; and Laventure, Rebecca, "Revolutionizing Cleft Palate Repair: A Novel Approach to Head Stabilization" (2023). Honors Theses. 2761.
https://digitalworks.union.edu/theses/2761
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