Talitha designed the Pentaport, a new gateway for complex endovascular aortic repair that minimizes blood leakage.
A ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a serious condition that can lead to death. Endovascular surgery is a common treatment for this condition, but it can require the use of multiple tools through a single introducer sheath. This can lead to blood loss for the patient. The aim of this project was to develop a new, safe gateway for complex endovascular aortic repair.
Talitha explored the medical background through literature research and information collected from various field experts through interviews, observations, co-creation and design evaluations. This group of experts covers backgrounds in design, medicine, engineering, materials, production, medical device development, and business. This resulted in a stakeholder map, journey maps and rapid explorative prototypes. Ideas were developed using How-To questions and co-creation brainstorms.
This resulted in the Pentaport, a new gateway for complex endovascular aortic repair that minimizes blood leakage by splitting the sheath’s central lumen into five separate, diverging tool entrances, each with its own valve. A leakproof ‘plug & screw’ connection facilitates safe and easy fastening to existing sheath hubs, ensuring optimal closure around an introduced tool, even after repetitive movement.
