Clamping force manipulation in 2D compliant gripper topology optimization under frictionless contact

Huang, Jiaqi; Wei, Zhihao; Cui, Yiwen; Liu, Ji‐Kai

doi:10.1007/s00158-023-03621-w

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 55 publications

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“…Parameters such as contact pressure, pressure distribution, and tissue elongation need to be investigated. Again, topology optimization is a desirable method to determine the contact pressure between an inflating dilator and the vaginal tissue surrounding the dilator to determine the most patient-friendly dilation therapy [ 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 ].…”

Section: Summary and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and Material Characterization of an Inflatable Vaginal Dilator

Chen,

Li,

Morris

et al. 2024

Materials

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There are more than 13,000 new cases of cervical cancer each year in the United States and approximately 245,000 survivors. External beam radiation and brachytherapy are the front-line treatment modalities, and 60% of patients develop vaginal damage and constriction, i.e., stenosis of the vaginal vault, greatly impeding sexual function. The incidence of vaginal stenosis (VS) following radiotherapy (RT) for anorectal cancer is 80%. VS causes serious quality of life (QoL) and psychological issues, and while standard treatment using self-administered plastic dilators is effective, acceptance and compliance are often insufficient. Based on published patient preferences, we have pursued the design of a soft inflatable dilator for treating radiotherapy-induced vaginal stenosis (VS). The critical component of the novel device is the dilator balloon wall material, which must be compliant yet able to exert therapeutic lateral force levels. We selected a commercially available silicone elastomer and characterized its stress–strain characteristics and hyperelastic properties. These parameters were quantified using uniaxial tensile testing and digital image correlation (DIC). Dilator inflation versus internal pressure was modeled and experimentally validated in order to characterize design parameters, particularly the dilator wall thickness. Our data suggest that an inflatable silicone elastomer-based vaginal dilator warrants further development in the context of a commercially available, well-tolerated, and effective device for the graded, controlled clinical management of radiotherapy-induced VS.

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