VA is a Veteran Affairs department from the US government that pledged to protect the veteran survivors’ families who have served as military personnel. VA’s Office of Advanced Manufacturing (OAM) creates patient-based, FDA-approved Radiotherapy Boluses (RTB) to control the radiation dosage.
These patient-matched boluses change cancer care, as each bolus is specially customized for treating the patient & anatomy via the patient’s CT scan. The latter serves for the manufacture of a unique 3D-printed RTB.
It also supports precise radiation data, focusing on tumor cells by navigating through healthy tissue to enhance the overall cancer care for veterans. At Puget Sound VA, the engineers operating from OAM’s Seattle have collaborated with radiation oncology clinicians & a renowned 3D printing company – 3D Systems to enable Radiotherapy Boluses (RTB) solutions for regular usage.
The research team has done multiple interviews with subject matter experts & derived a 5-phase creational process for the RTB to enhance the overall experience for Veterans under radiation therapy.
The product development engineer at Puget Sound VA, Alex Hotz says “We had clinicians from Richmond VA & Cleveland VA who were meeting with us regularly giving feedback on how the project was progressing, feedback on the device itself and they functioned as those advisors via the development process. The CT scan of the piece fit nicely to the patient’s external contour & matched the planned structure close to perfection.”
Sam Mentzer, a clinical engineer at Puget Sound VA reveals “As an FDA-registered medical device manufacturer housed within VA, we provide accountability and seamless integration with our clinicians without the need for complex contracts or processes that come with using outside vendors.”
The RTB received popularity across the VA thanks to its benefits via the PACT Act. VA has forty-one radiation oncology localities with over half of the facilities offering Veterans access to Radiotherapy Boluses & a few more are scheduled to onboard in the upcoming months. The RTB can be switched in days from clinician request to final delivery, ensuring Veterans get timely & effective health care treatment.
“We hope to reduce the overall time Veterans lose in the treatment chair and improve the overall dose distribution. This project aligns with our commitment to offering the soonest and best care to those who have served the Nation,” explains the product lead at OAM’s Seattle site, Puget Sound VA, Lorelei Gorr.
Author: Nagarjun M
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