Built by a Patient, for Patients: 3D-Printed Halo Walkers Help Kids Prepare for Treatment

When Marissa was recovering from spine surgery at Shriners Children’s Portland, she noticed something missing: a way for kids facing halo traction to visualize, and even play with, the device used for their treatment. So she designed one.

“I was talking to Kim Baker (certified child life specialist) after my surgery and telling her about my 3D printing program at school,” Marissa said. “We talked about halo traction patients and American Girl dolls, and something just clicked.”

Based on this conversation, Marissa began a months-long project to design and develop a 3D model of a halo traction walker “toy” scaled to the size of dolls.

Halo traction treatment is used for severe scoliosis diagnoses. The treatment involves attaching a ring to the patient’s head for stabilization and then gradually adding weights to help straighten the spine before surgery.

Bryan Menapace, M.D., a spine surgeon at Shriners Children’s Portland, had never seen anything like the models that Marissa created.

"We often will direct patients to photos or videos online,” Menapace said. “But you can't really experience it when you're just looking at it on a 2D screen.”

Marissa used a parametric CAD program to design the models that fit American Girl dolls. After three different versions and many measurement adjustments, she printed them on her school’s 3D printers. The different iterations stripped down the complexity until she was left with a model that has the same basic functionality but with the look and feel of a toy.

"Seeing how the device will look and how it will work might help kids to not be as anxious while staying in the hospital and going through that procedure," Marissa said.

Depending on the severity of the spine curvature, halo treatment can last several weeks and can be scary for kids and their families.

Child life specialists use medical play to teach children about halo traction before they come to the hospital. Kim Baker, MS-CCLS, explained that having a teaching tool that is so child-friendly and relatable enhances the process.

"To have the opportunity to do this through play is the key for children," Baker said. "That's the best way for kids to learn about what their treatment might look like before it actually happens."

Marissa remembers when she was referred to Shriners Children’s for chronic back pain.

“I just remember how great everyone was, and how it really made me feel relaxed and like I was in the right place,” Marissa said.

She was diagnosed with two herniated discs and had successful surgery at the Portland hospital. She later re-herniated a disc and underwent another successful surgery. She is now pain-free and relishes the chance to help ease anxiety for other kids.

"I'm really proud of my work, and Shriners Children's has done so much to help me, and it's been awesome to be able to find my own way to give back," Marissa said.

Marissa, now a junior at Pacific Crest Innovation Academy, wants to pursue a career in engineering and design, and is currently working with Kim and the child life team on some new project ideas.