Perspective
Breathe easy - Med Air single-arm nasal cannula | Design Sprint 9
The 9th Vordenker project comes from Konstantin. Unfortunately, his internship at WILDDESIGN in Munich also coincided exactly with the first lockdown in March 2020. After a week with us, he went straight to his home office. In his self-chosen project, the budding designer dealt with the supply of oxygen via a nasal cannula. He opted for a project with a strong topical relevance and designed the single-arm nasal cannula.
Nasal cannulas are used in many different ways in medicine and yet patients and hospital staff are faced with the same problems time and time again. To address these challenges, Konstantin interviewed nurses from Munich South Hospital.
It turned out that the areas of the face that are statistically most frequently affected are the bridge of the nose, the temple area and the area of the skull behind the ear. These were taken into account and optimized in the design of the Med-Air.
There are currently three different types of nasal cannula. The first is the low-flow nasal cannula. Its flow rate is up to 6 liters and is the standard in supplementary ventilation. The high-flow nasal cannula has a flow rate of up to 60 liters and is equipped with a connection to a heating element and humidifier. The high-flow mask with the same features and flow rate is suitable for patients who cannot tolerate a high-flow nasal cannula. It is used, for example, in the healing phase after nasal and sinus surgery. Konstantin opted for the design of a low-flow nasal cannula. It is a user-centered design that aims to solve various problems of patients with nasal cannulas:
When breathing is restricted - The tube
Conventional nasal cannulas often have a tube that passes behind the ears and leads back to the front. These loops in front of the chest are not only annoying, the tubes often get tangled and can therefore reduce the effectiveness of the application. In addition, they can even cause a feeling of strangulation in patients when the tubes are brought together at the chin. If the tube is guided along the back, this is particularly uncomfortable for patients when lying down and can cause pressure points from the sleeves.
Konstantin's single-arm nasal cannula has only one tube, which is fixed behind one ear with an adhesive surface. The material saved as a result can be used for an additional change in the length of the tube, which can contribute to the patient's freedom of movement. This is not only a relief for the patient, but also saves costs in production. With the Med-Air, there is no risk of entanglement and the patient's restrictions are reduced. Theresa G., a nurse at Munich South Hospital, is well aware of this problem. She reports that nurses have to lengthen the tubes by hand to improve the patient's freedom of movement. In her opinion, the tubes, which are usually 2.10 meters long, are simply too short.
In addition, the hose has been given a comfort-enhancing design. A special inner tube geometry prevents the oxygen supply from being pinched off by lying on the tube. This guarantees a reliable air supply even when lying down.
Optimum air supply thanks to optimized cannulas
The cannulas can also pose a problem. It is particularly important to pay attention to the anatomy of the nasal septum.
An oxygen tube always consists of two cannulas, the so-called prongs, which are attached to the oxygen goggles. The goggles in turn merge into the oxygen tube.
There are different shapes for the prongs of the nasal cannula. If the nasal insert is straight, the patient receives a good supply of oxygen, but this does not correspond to the anatomy of the nose and is not perceived as comfortable when worn. A funnel shape slows down the flow of oxygen. If the cannulas are curved, they have a perfect anatomical fit. A combination of straight and curved nasal inserts leads to the perfect result: wide, funnel-shaped prongs with a curve, adapted to the anatomy of the nasal septum. The fingerboard makes it easier to insert and remove the cannula.
The nasal insert (component A) consists of three parts: the nasal cannula with the prongs, a clasp and a gripping surface. The cannula is fitted with a clasp to hold the tension in the nose so that . It is important to strike a balance here between conforming to wearer requirements and ensuring a secure hold. The silicone grip surface ensures a stable hold and, above all, a positive wearing sensation. Silicone is a softer material that is flexible, soft and comfortable to wear.
Pain-free breathing
In addition to the nasal cannula, the Med-Air also consists of an ear piece (component B). This guides the oxygen tube behind the ear.
Patients with a nasal cannula often complain of sore spots behind the ears. This "chafing" makes them very uncomfortable to wear and leads to patients making their own improvised padding. Konstatin's solution to this problem is an ear padding that is part of the system. Foam tube sheaths are already being used, but the hold is not particularly reliable. Unintentionally tearing out the nasal cannula is not compatible with the hygiene regulations of clinics and is still an everyday occurrence, says Theresa.
Med-Air can ensure a good, stable fit behind the ear with the help of a small adhesive surface. This keeps the cannula where it should be and prevents it from falling onto the floor. This increases hygiene and reduces unnecessary material waste. This is not only a win-win situation for the patient, the hospital staff and the manufacturer, but is also a blessing for the environment. Less material means less waste. A good design makes life easier for users. An even better design is easy to use, user-centered and environmentally conscious.
Konstantin is a student of product and industrial design in Darmstadt. Munich is not unfamiliar territory for him, as the native Bavarian comes from the surrounding area.
Medical Design has taken a liking to him. We are particularly pleased for Konstantin that he found the idea for his upcoming final thesis while researching this project. We would like to thank Konstantin for his cooperation. We are keeping both fingers crossed for his thesis. The next time he visits home, we look forward to meeting him at the Isar or Lake Starnberg.
If you like this concept or individual aspects of it, or if you think we should work on it further, please just let us know. We look forward to receiving your feedback at vordenker-projekte@wilddesign.de or via the e-mail button below.
