Still from the animation Time is Muscle: Surgical Treatments for PNIs are Time-sensitive. The image portrays, in a visually non-triggering manner, the main character experiencing a collision with the letters “PNI,” which result in a peripheral nerve injury. Provided by A. Ho
Alexandra Ho, MScBMC '22, received an Award of Merit in the student category for Motion and Interactive Media at the July 2023 annual Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI) Salon in Henderson, Nevada.
She won the award for her animation Time is muscle: Surgical treatments for PNIs are time-sensitive. Ho created the patient education animation for her master's research project in the Master of Science in Biomedical Communications (MScBMC) program at the University of Toronto.
Ho says that Time is muscle is designed to increase awareness of nerve transfer surgery, highlight the importance of early intervention, and encourage patients to consult nerve surgeons early to increase their chances of recovery.
"Peripheral nerve injury [PNI] can lead to a devastating loss of motor and sensory function, and chronically decrease the quality of life. Many cases of PNI require surgical intervention for recovery," says Ho.
Peripheral nerves are nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. They regulate activities such as breathing, heart function, and digestion. In the arms and legs, peripheral nerves regulate muscles such as those used for walking and holding objects.
Peripheral nerves also send sensory information to the brain such as heat, pain, or numbness. Damage to a peripheral nerve can disrupt or impair this complex system of information and control.
"Nerve transfer surgeries are one of the potential options for restoring nerve function, and it's a time-sensitive procedure. Unfortunately, the number of patients who undergo this surgery is low due to a lack of awareness and online patient-friendly resources," says Ho.
In Time is Muscle, Ho's main character sustains an injury to the nerve that serves the biceps muscle. He then learns about his injury and options for repair through the guidance of his neurosurgeon.
Ho uses analogy to describe nerve function, damage, and repair. She invites the viewer to imagine the muscle as a city, and the nerve as a train track. If the track is damaged, nerve signals (trains) cannot reach the city, and the city stops functioning. Nerve transfer surgery is depicted as re-routing tracks from a neighbouring city (in this case, one of the wrist flexors) to take over the function of the damaged nerve.
This metaphorical depiction of the character's injury not only helps viewers conceptualize the surgery but may also avoid triggering distressing memories for the patient audience.
Ho combined 2D- and 3D-visuals and integrated them with the visual metaphors to improve accessibility and engagement with the scientific content.
Alexandra Ho, MScBMC ‘22
"By incorporating these elements, the animation introduces a potentially daunting surgical topic in a friendly and approachable manner," says Ho.
“Alex’s project is a great example of the way a well-crafted animation has the potential to increase patient activation, by giving patients the information and the understanding they need to take action and to consult with a neurosurgeon as soon as possible after a nerve injury,” says Shelley Wall, associate professor in the MScBMC program and Ho’s academic supervisor.
Ho thanks Shelley Wall, her content advisor Jana Dengler, an assistant professor and surgeon-investigator in the Department of Surgery, her committee member Marc Dryer, MScBMC associate professor, teaching stream, and Stuart Jantzen, MScBMC '13, for their support and guidance throughout this project.
"I’d also like to thank the Sunnybrook Foundation’s DeSouza Chair in Trauma Research for their funding support," she says.
Ho is currently a consultant science designer at Infograph-ed.
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Web sites referenced.
Alexandra Ho’s online portfolio https://alexandraho.com/
Time is muscle link to animation https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/762728277/4c280716c9
Master of Science in Biomedical Communications https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/
Shelley Wall’s faculty profile https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/faculty-staff/#wall
Jana Dengler’s faculty profile https://surgery.utoronto.ca/faculty/jana-dengler
Marc Dryer’s faculty profile https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/faculty-staff/#dryer
Stuart Jantzen’s Biocinematics channel YouTube.com/biocinematics