Our Approach
3fD collaborated directly with Eventum founders and leading orthopaedic surgeons to co-develop an entirely new methodology for patella resection and repositioning. Our task: to design not only an accurate force-recording method, but also the surgical instrumentation that would enable precise reshaping and reattachment of the patella during total knee surgery.
Key focus areas:
- Surgeon ergonomics: Designing tools that integrate naturally into the surgical workflow.
- Measurement precision: Capturing intraoperative force and position data to replicate native patella geometry.
- Manufacturability: Engineering for sterilisation, reusability, and medical-grade compliance.
- Cost-effectiveness: Ensuring that the solution could be manufactured at scale for widespread adoption.
Engineering & DFM Decisions
- Developed a custom force-recording system embedded within surgical guides.
- Selected medical-grade materials for sterility and surgical theatre durability.
- Designed for multi-use instrument sets to balance hospital economics and sustainability.
- Worked closely with manufacturing partners to ensure tooling and tolerances met clinical accuracy requirements.
Outcome
- Delivered functional prototypes for pre-clinical validation within X months (← fill in actual timeframe).
- Enabled Eventum to progress to cadaver trials, securing further investor and clinical interest.
- Positioned Eventum Orthopaedics to enter early-stage regulatory pathways and commercialisation strategy.
- Surgeons reported improved precision and ease-of-use in simulated surgical environments.
What We Learned
Early surgeon engagement and iterative prototyping are crucial in surgical instrumentation development. By integrating feedback loops between design, manufacture, and surgical testing, we accelerated both confidence in the concept and readiness for clinical adoption.
