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Pediatric Port Clamp

A child-friendly clamp for pediatric oncology — preventing accidental disconnection of port catheters during treatment.

Year
2025
Role
Team Lead · Multidisciplinary Team
Category
Medical Design · Inclusive Design
Pediatric Port Clamp

Context

Children receiving treatment in oncology wards rely on a port catheter connected directly to their body. The clamp that holds the catheter to the child’s clothing — improvised from a generic surgical clamp and a piece of tape — is bulky, unhygienic, and uncomfortable. The brief was to replace it with something safe, considered, and quietly designed for a child.

The project was developed in my final year through the Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) program in partnership with America-Hub Israel (AHI), mentored by Yoram Poni, working directly with the medical team at Hadassah Ein Kerem.

Process

  1. 01

    Field research at the Hadassah Ein Kerem pediatric oncology department — observing the existing improvised solution in use, interviewing nursing staff, and watching how children and parents handled the clamp during treatment.

  2. 02

    Iterating on form: dozens of 3D-printed configurations exploring grip, child-friendly silhouettes, and a lock that holds a 3–4 mm catheter without slipping. We kept the familiar “pacifier clip” base — already trusted by staff — and reimagined everything around it.

  3. 03

    Final CAD modeling and engineering in SolidWorks, refined through continuous feedback from the medical team. Classified as an FDA Class 1 medical device.

Six 3D-printed prototype iterations of the clamp, laid out in a row
Form study — iterating the lock geometry and overall silhouette.
A box full of colorful 3D-printed clamp prototypes
Print batch — color studies and structural variations.
Carmel with the medical staff at the Hadassah Ein Kerem pediatric oncology department
Field visit at Hadassah Ein Kerem with the medical team.
Close-up of the bulky improvised clamp previously used on the ward
The original surgical clamp held in hand, showing scale and material
The original solution: oversized, unhygienic, uncomfortable for the child.

Outcome

A small, sanitizable, child-friendly clamp that integrates a secure catheter lock with a soft visual language. Released under TOM’s open-source model so hospitals worldwide can download, manufacture, and adapt the solution for their patients.

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