1. ABBOTT VASCULAR
DESIGN / ENGINEERING / USER RESEARCH
CASE STUDY
Abbott Laboratories is an American multinational medical devices and health care
company with headquarters in Abbott Park, Illinois. Abbott focuses on innovative
technologies to improve the way clinicians treat people with vascular diseases, irregular
heartbeats, and diseases of the heart's valves and other structures.
THE
CLIENT:
"300 million life-years have been lost to cardiovascular diseases.
It's time we reimagine patient care."
-Abbott Vascular
A hand-held stent delivery system, the handle-portion of which incorporated a finger-
actuated lead screw used to accomplish stent deployment. Also included: a deployment
lock and two Luer Fittings feeding separate fluid paths within the catheter set.
THE
PRODUCT:
The new delivery design needed to incorporate a different internal mechanism and
accommodate stents up to 180mm in length. Integral to the new design was putting
more control into the hands of the surgeons with a more compact, low-force operation
for better accuracy in delivery. Manufacturability was also a key consideration while
integrating into the new stent delivery system.
THE
CHALLENGE:
Speck Design saw the root of the challenge of the Abbott Vascular device as a need for
improved device performance as a catalyst for better patient outcomes. The more
ergonomic the device and smoother the action--the better the tool would be for saving
lives and avoiding potential complications. This purview brought to the forefront solving
issues of recoil, rigid operation, and uneasy stent deployment as a solution for how
humans interacted with the device. The stent limitations were seen as separate, specific
device functionality parameters. By incorporating user research, industrial design,
engineering, and an "end-user" mindset, Speck Design was able to make the mechanical
changes needed for device performance while also creating something ergonomically
superior for improved end-user performance.
THE
PROCESS:
1

2. CASE STUDY
The redesigned stent delivery system was functionally successful at accommodating
stents up to 180mm in length. However, in exploring the human use case, Speck
engineered a smoother, more precise action while also providing an intuitive user
interface and enhanced ergonomics for the end-users--healthcare professionals. The
improved system allows those clinicians, with patients' lives in their hands, to be more
accurate, focused, and comfortable when deploying care, thereby increasing overall
positive patient outcomes.
THE
OUTCOME:
2
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MEDICAL DEVICE INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
CONTACT SPECK DESIGN @ WWW.SPECKDESIGN.COM
ABBOTT VASCULAR
CONTINUED