# A Novel, Low-Cost, 3D-Printed Motorized Injector for Retinal Sheet Transplantation

## TL;DR

A 3D-printed motorized injector improves retinal sheet placement accuracy and reduces tissue damage during transplantation.

## Contribution

A low-cost, motorized injector for retinal sheet transplantation that enhances precision and reduces complications.

## Key findings

- The motorized injector reduced tip variance by threefold compared to manual methods.
- In vitro trials showed significantly higher placement accuracy with the motorized system.
- The device offers safer subretinal delivery, potentially advancing retinal disease treatments.

## Abstract

Retinal transplantation offers promise for restoring vision in advanced retinal degeneration. However, manual delivery of retinal sheets is often hindered by imprecise placement and collateral tissue damage resulting from instrument instability. We introduce a novel, 3D-printed, motorized retinal sheet injector designed to enhance placement accuracy and minimize tissue injury. The motorized injector features an Arduino-controlled foot pedal with three discrete actuator positions (“Min”, “Mid”, “Max”). When compared via frame-by-frame motion analysis, the motorized system reduced tip variance by approximately threefold over manual methods. In addition, in in vitro gelatin trials, the motorized injector achieved significantly higher placement accuracy versus the manual injector, which suffered from occasional complete misplacements. The novel motorized retinal sheet injector markedly improves stability and placement accuracy relative to manual methods, potentially reducing complications associated with subretinal delivery. Safer subretinal delivery can pave the way for innovative research and advanced treatment for retinal disease.