Published: 19th April 2018.
Written by Melinda Irvine
We’re huge fans of the Marvel Universe here at Courses.com.au. We’ve seen all the blockbuster movies in recent years and we’re always eagerly anticipating the next big film to hit the silver screen featuring our favourite comic book heroes. For our readers who also consider themselves comic book fans, especially those who have followed the Thor storylines, we’ve got the scoop on a great Mjolnir-related story from Sydney.
Mjolnir is the name given to Thor’s trusty hammer that was used to mercilessly clobber enemies of all shapes and sizes in recent movies starring Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth. In the second volume of the comic book title Thor, we learn that Mjolnir was “forged in the heart of a dying star” and from other Thor-themed comics we know the hammer has incredible abilities such as harnessing the power of lightning and returning to its owner at command.
Those familiar with the Thor comics and the recent Hollywood blockbusters also know that Mjolnir cannot be wielded by just anyone outside of Asgard. Only those who are deemed worthy to wield its immense power are able grab it by the handle and pick it up… or so we thought!
Surgeons at Wagga Wagga hospital recently had access to their very own Mjolnir. Crafted by an biomedical engineering firm based in Baulkham Hills, this surgical hammer was built from 1.5 kilograms of medical-grade surgical steel.
Surgeons often require the use of a precise hammer during surgeries or procedures that require some precise force to reshape bones or to set implants in place. In this case, the surgeons at Wagga Wagga hospital used their own mighty Mjolnir during a knee replacement surgery earlier this year.
And judging by the looks on their faces, they might be Thor fans too!
“It was a great experience crafting these surgical tools for our friends in Wagga Wagga” said James Keevy. “It’s not every day you get to combine your favourite comic books with your day job and we’re thrilled with how these hammers turned out”. Photo below shows the surgeon, Associate Professor Adrian van der Rijt using the Mjolnir hammer in real life surgery:
“The surgeons had requested we design and manufacture a medical grade hammer of increased weight as this increases the surgeons’ dexterity within the operation.” Mr Keevy explained. “We came to the idea of crafting our own surgical Mjolnirs as a way of demonstrating the unique ability to develop purpose-built surgical instrument”. The hammers are designed to do the work, while the surgeon’s role is to direct and control the hammer during surgery.
Below is a photo comparing the bespoke instrument compared to a standard surgical hammer:
“We definitely think our surgeons at Wagga Wagga Hospital are worthy to wield these incredible instruments” added Dean Luke Pinchen who is the designer behind the impressive hammers.
While there are no plans to sell these hammers to the public, we hope they would consider providing some titanium captain America shields? Or perhaps a surgical suit of Ironman armour?
If you’re interested in a career in biomedical engineering or health, check out the courses listed at www.courses.com.au