Project in the spotlight: Gynecological treatment table for developing countries

Researchers of the scientific program Medical Delta NIMIT: Novel Instruments for Minimally Invasive Techniques collaborate with Loggia B.V. on a treatment table for outpatient care for use in developing countries. The Women for Women Foundation is also involved in the collaboration. They are active in Nepal to train local health workers to provide uterine prolapse care to rural women.

Loes Harmsen of Women for Women has tested the Loggia treatment table in practice in recent months. The aim of the collaboration is to optimize the treatment table for gynecological applications in developing countries based on Harmsen's experience. In addition to the first treatment table, a second table for outpatient care will also be made available this year.

3D printing of medical instruments

In addition to the treatment tables, the collaborating parties are examining whether it is possible to 3D print a diaphragm locally or to develop a solution for rapid wear of the speculum. This can be done by challenging students of the Medical Delta Bachelor’s program Clinical Technology to take up projects for developing countries.

From Medical Delta NIMIT: Novel Instruments for Minimally Invasive Techniques, Prof. Jenny Dankelman and Dr. Tim Horeman (both TU Delft) are involved in the collaboration. Dankelman travels to Nepal and India whenever possible to research safe and affordable surgical instruments for developing countries.

Immediate practical implementation of cooperation

The cooperating parties have met each other at Medical Delta; the first meeting took place at last year's Medical Delta Conference. Now that there has actually been a collaboration, it was immediately ratified with the donation of dozens of speculums for the benefit of care in Nepal.

The instruments come from one of the partners of Horeman's so-called sustainable surgery research line: the company Van Straten Medical. Owner Bart van Straten is researching 'Circularity for Sustainable Surgery' as a PhD student within BioMedical Engineering. The re-use of instruments - after refurbishment - in Nepal is a good example of this.

As soon as it is possible, the speculums will go to a clinic in Nepal simultaneously with the treatment table.