Dear CHIFA members,
I'm Bashar Zapen, an Industrial Medical Designer at Muthesius University in Kiel, Germany. I'm currently doing my master's thesis on surgical training modules, specifically pediatric cardiac surgeries in economically and politically constrained areas (such as Gaza).
At this stage, I have decided to 3D print the heart modules (through local initiatives or universities), as it would allow me to bypass Gaza's blockade constraints; and provide surgical training modules at a lower cost.
While I found initiatives such as Glia with suitable 3D printers, I still lack a clear picture regarding the following:
What kind of printers they have; and what level of details we can achieve,
The type of materials (or filaments) they have access to, and the possibility of importing resources and materials, as the heart module has to mimic organic tissue,
If local institutions or hospitals can test or evaluate the module.
On the other hand, I still have the following questions which directly address my research:
What is the availability of trained cardiac surgeons in Gaza? What is the current procedure to train new surgeons?
Are there specific cardiac deformities or diseases that they include in training?
What are the existing surgical training modules or equipment in Gaza? Are they physical, digital, animal-sourced, or mainly text-based?
Would it be desirable to operate on the heart module within a baby module? What other aspects from the patient or the operation room would you like to be simulated?
Are there any limitations to importing medical equipment or material into Gaza?
What is the current status of Gaza's cardiac surgical services (most notably, pediatric)? Did last May's events affect the infrastructure or surgical staff in Gaza?
Of course, any background information regarding pediatric cardiac diseases in Gaza would benefit my research. I have found some articles highlighting a correlation between weaponry and congenital heart defects and others highlighting the abnormally high incidence compared to global numbers. However, the articles are old, so I'd be interested in more recent insights and findings.
As you can imagine, communication with professionals in the region is quite difficult at the moment. So please reach out if you have any relevant information or connections. All insight is valuable, no matter how small. My thesis deadline is in late February.
Best Wishes
Bashar Zapen
CHIFA profile: Bashar Zapen is a Medical Designer / UX Designer at Muthesius Kunsthochschule, Germany. I'm passionate about using my design thinking skills and tools to solve emerging problems worldwide. During my studies in Cape Town, South Africa, I developed a keen interest in lower limb prosthetic design and power management. Which later led me to Germany for further studies. However, due to the May 2021 war on Gaza, I had a strong impulse to do something for my people as a Palestinian immigrant. Hence, my master's thesis mission is to design training modules for pediatric cardiac surgeries in economically and politically constrained areas. jakbasharzapen AT gmail.com
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