Modelling medical devices: the application of bioengineering in surgery

Medical device technology has an increasingly important role in surgical procedures. In this article, five case studies of bioengineering in surgery are described as follows: computer-aided design of vascular grafts; middle-ear prostheses; hip prosthesis stems for optimal cement pressurisation; prototype development of a device for measurement of abdominal sounds for monitoring digestive tract activity and a hand-access device for laparoscopic surgery. In each case, new bioengineering design methodologies are demonstrated. The general principles underlying the application of bioengineering in surgery are discussed.