Date of Last Revision
2023-05-02 14:11:59
Major
Biomedical Engineering - Biomechanics
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2015
Research Sponsor
Cody Harder
First Reader
Dr. Mary Verstraete
Second Reader
Dr. James Keszenheimer
Recommended Citation
Dockery, Samuel, "ShotBlocker® - Bionix® Senior Design" (2015). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 89.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/89
COinS
Comments
Bionix® Medical Technologies employed us to reconsider their design flaws in their currently marketed ShotBlocker® product. The intended injection molded design (low-density polyethylene) utilizes the gate control theory of pain management by firmly pressing against the surrounding injection site to saturate the sensory signals. There are contact points (little spikes) on the underside of the ShotBlocker®, and those contact points overstimulate the patient’s nerves as to where the needle is being inserted making it hard to distinguish when and where the actual needle is being injected, thus lessoning anxiety. Studies have been completed by Amer, Barnhill, Gueverra, and more that illustrate pain perception reduction in patients using the ShotBlocker® device for subcutaneous injections.
Disposability is a major issue with this product, as physicians or nurses are re-using a single ShotBlocker® with only light sterility. To increase demand and open the market for this product, a new design following the problem statement was needed. Our team, Dolorvacare, took this project to establish a ShotBlocker® that keeps the same intended purpose of saturating pain signals, but also increases use and disposability. After guidance from Bionix®, we were looking to combine the ShotBlocker® with a safety needle, which is inherently disposable. No particular design preference was discussed, as our meetings debated ideas for a spring or hinge on the current product.