Background
Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is used to generate new bone at the site of a surgical boney cut by slowly separating plates attached to two opposing bony fragments. This technique is used increasingly in cranio-maxillo-facial (CMF) surgery to correct growth restriction of the skull (craniosynostosis) and mandible. Benefits of DO over large traditional one-stage procedures include less blood loss, shorter operative time, less peri-operative morbidity, and shorter hospital stays. DO has significant limitations that have slowed its adoption though. Namely, all currently available distractors have some external component that protrudes through the skin to allow for daily expansion of the distractor - using a screwdriver. This external component predisposes the patient to a variety of complications, such as soft-tissue infection, device misuse, increased analgesic use, scarring, and significant clinical inefficiencies.
Proposed Healthcare Solution
Fully-buried magnetically driven distractor for expansion of the mandible and cranium
Development Stage
Not known
Funding Cycle
2017-2018
Team
Ari Wes, MD, MS
Co-Founder
Jesse Taylor, MD
Co-Founder
Jessica DesNoyer
CEO
For more information on this technology, please contact CHOP Office of Technology Transfer at techtransfer@chop.edu.