College
College of Engineering and Polymer Science
Date of Last Revision
2026-05-08 12:32:44
Major
Biomedical Engineering
Honors Course
BMEN491, 492
Number of Credits
6
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2026
Abstract
Severe burn injuries frequently require split-thickness skin grafts, with metal surgical staples serving as the current standard for fixation. While staples provide rapid and secure placement of graft material, they also introduce significant challenges. Removal is painful, time-consuming, and often requires sedation in pediatric patients, leading to added risk, resource strain, and poor patient experience. These drawbacks highlight the need for improved fixation methods that maintain graft stability while reducing procedural burden. This project applies the engineering design process to address these challenges through identification of user needs, translation into design inputs, risk assessment, and development of a prototype aimed at improving efficiency and patient outcomes.
Research Sponsor
Justin Baker
First Reader
Stephen Paterson
Second Reader
B. Audrey Nguyen-Rudy
Honors Faculty Advisor
Hossein Tavana
Proprietary and/or Confidential Information
No
Community Engaged Scholarship
No
Recommended Citation
Patterson, Emma J.; Milligan, Allison M.; and Dunlap, Morgan E., "Rapid Skin Stapler" (2026). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 2222.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/2222