BRACA

Student Team

Master of Engineering: Natasha Roy, Natalie Taylor, Victor Lu
Undergraduates: Aasiyah Adnan, Oluwafifehanmi Omotoso, Emily Liu

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common form of cancer in women, with 2.3 million new cases diagnosed each year worldwide (Sung et al., 2021). Post-surgery recovery for breast surgery patients often involves discomfort and swelling, requiring effective compression garments to aid in healing. Pain is generally the most common reported symptom after surgery, and up to 60% of women who undergo breast cancer surgery report some degree of postoperative pain (Wang et al., 2016). Furthermore, pain persisting beyond 3 months caused by neuropathic, musculoskeletal, or other factors may be categorized as chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) by the International Association for the Study of Pain, affecting up to 30% of breast surgery patients and up to 10% suffering from severe pain (Kahn et. al, 2020). Multimodal interventions are being developed to address perioperative pain and CPSP (Haspolat et al, 2023 ; Deng et al, 2022). 

Research has shown that proper stability and compression by postsurgical bras is integral in enhancing postoperative comfort and movement (Backman et al., 2023). However, existing commercial compression bras may not provide optimal compression or adjustability, leading to suboptimal recovery outcomes for patients. This project seeks to expand on the previously designed capstone designed surgical bra (BraCa) with pneumatic compression capability, designed specifically for post-breast surgery recovery. The bra will feature embedded pneumatic chambers that can be inflated or deflated to adjust compression levels according to the patient's needs. This innovation aims to enhance comfort, promote proper circulation, and reduce swelling during the recovery period.