Device and method for reducing lung operation specimen through vacuum expansion and fixing lung operation specimen through paraffin

Abstract

The invention discloses a paraffin fixing instrument for a specimen tissue structure of a vacuum expansion reduction lung surgery and a use method of the paraffin fixing instrument. The instrument comprises a vacuumizing device, a vacuum container, a liquid storage device, a one-way valve, an inverted umbrella-shaped flow stabilizer, a specimen suspension system and the like. The vacuum container is made of a thick acrylic material with the volume of 350ml, a movable top cover and a tensioning type hasp are arranged at the top of the vacuum container, and the vacuum container is connected with the diaphragm type vacuum pump through a first one-way valve; a liquid inlet is formed in the bottom, and an inverted umbrella-shaped flow stabilizer is arranged in the center; the liquid storage device is connected with the liquid inlet through a hard connecting pipe, and a second one-way valve is arranged on the connecting pipe; the specimen is vertically suspended in the center of the container through the suspension line. During use, the vacuum container is vacuumized to enable the suspended lung tissue specimen to naturally expand under the action of pressure difference to restore a structure, then temperature control paraffin is injected through the adjustable second one-way valve for embedding, and finally secondary vacuumizing is performed to remove bubbles. The method solves the problem of tissue structure deformation caused by decompression collapse of the lung operation specimen, ensures the accuracy of pathological diagnosis, and has important clinical application value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of medical devices, and in particular to a special device for tissue structure reduction and paraffin fixation of lung surgery specimens and a method of using the same, belonging to the technical field of pathological specimen processing equipment. Background Art

[0002] In the diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases, pathological examination of lung surgical specimens is crucial for determining the nature of the disease, guiding treatment plans, and assessing prognosis. However, lung tissue possesses unique physiological characteristics, primarily composed of a large number of air-filled alveoli, exhibiting a spongy, porous structure. Once lung tissue is removed from the body, the loss of the negative pressure maintained by the thoracic cavity causes the alveolar gas to gradually escape, leading to collapse and atrophy of the lung tissue, severely impacting its original structural morphology. Traditional pathological specimen processing relies on direct immersion fixation, which involves placing excised lung tissue specimens directly into a fixative such as formaldehyde. While simple, this method has the following significant drawbacks: 1. Severe tissue distortion: Due to alveolar collapse, the original alveolar space structure is lost, resulting in thickened alveolar septa and reduced or absent alveolar cavities in pathological sections, severely compromising the accuracy of pathological diagnosis; 2. Loss of pathological features: Many key pathological features of lung diseases, such as emphysema, atelectasis, and pulmonary edema, are closely related to the dilation of the alveoli. Tissue collapse will mask these important pathological changes; 3. Uneven fixation: The density of collapsed lung tissue increases, making it difficult for the fixative to penetrate evenly, resulting in incomplete tissue fixation and affecting the quality of subsequent paraffin embedding and sectioning; 4. Artificial artifacts: The wrinkles and deformations produced during the collapse process will form artificial artifacts in pathological sections, interfering with the diagnosis and judgment of pathologists. In order to solve the above problems, the following methods are currently used clinically: 1. Tracheal perfusion fixation: The fixative is perfused into the lungs through the trachea, and the liquid pressure is used to maintain alveolar expansion. However, this method has the following shortcomings: (1) The perfusion pressure is difficult to control accurately. Too high will cause alveolar rupture, and too low will not effectively expand; (2) The fixative will wash away pathological products in the alveoli, such as inflammatory exudates, proteins, etc.; (3) The perfusion process may change the original distribution of the lesions. 2. Cardiac perfusion fixation: The fixative is perfused through the cardiovascular system. However, this method is mainly suitable for experimental animals. It is complicated to operate on human surgical specimens and has limited effect. 3. Negative pressure maintenance method: attempts to maintain the expanded state of lung tissue through an external negative pressure device. However, the existing technology lacks an effective integrated solution for negative pressure control and paraffin embedding, and lacks a specimen suspension system, which cannot avoid local compression and deformation caused by the contact between the specimen and the container wall. 4. Chinese patent CN113267389A discloses a lung tissue specimen fixation device that uses a pressure regulator to change the pressure, but this technology mainly uses pressure regulation to inject fixative, does not involve the vacuum expansion principle, does not include the complete process of paraffin embedding, and lacks a specimen suspension and steady flow dispersion system. Therefore, the existing technology still lacks a special instrument and method that can effectively restore the original tissue structure of lung surgical specimens, ensure uniform paraffin fixation, avoid specimen contact deformation, is easy to operate, and is suitable for actual clinical needs. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and to provide a paraffin fixation device for vacuum expansion restoration of lung surgical specimen tissue structure and a method of use thereof, so as to solve technical problems such as tissue structure deformation, uneven fixation, loss of pathological characteristics, and specimen contact deformation caused by collapse of lung surgical specimens due to decompression, thereby achieving effective restoration of the original structure of lung tissue and high-quality paraffin embedding and fixation.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paraffin fixation device for vacuum expansion and restoration of lung surgical specimen tissue structure, comprising:

[0005] The vacuum pumping device (1) is a diaphragm vacuum pump with a power of 50-100W, a maximum vacuum degree of -0.95 atmospheres, a pumping speed of 15-25L / min, a pressure regulating valve and a vacuum gauge, which can accurately control and display the vacuum degree, a power supply of 220V AC, and an overload protection function.

[0006] The connecting pipe (2) is a stainless steel hard pipe with an inner diameter of 6 mm and an outer diameter of 8 mm, and a length of 500 mm. The pipe wall thickness is 1 mm, which has excellent pressure resistance, ensuring that the pipe shape is stable in a vacuum environment and completely avoids collapse. The inner wall of the pipe is polished to a surface roughness of Ra ≤ 0.8 μm, reducing flow resistance. Standard pipe joints are equipped at both ends, and a quick connector design is adopted to facilitate connection with the vacuum device and the first one-way valve.

[0007] The one-way valve (3) is a precision one-way valve made of stainless steel, with an interface specification of a 6mm hose connector and an opening pressure of 0.02-0.05 atmospheres. A spring-loaded ball valve structure is used inside the valve body, with the upper valve facing the vacuum device (1) and the lower valve facing the vacuum container (12).

[0008] The manual control valve (4) is a manually controlled precision ball valve, the valve body is made of stainless steel, and the valve opening degree is adjustable, and the opening angle is controlled by rotating the handle.

[0009] The specific structure of the tension buckle (5): The movable top cover and the vacuum container are fixed with a tension buckle under pressure, so that the top cover and the container are tightly connected, ensuring the sealing performance in a vacuum environment. The buckle is made of stainless steel and has a lever amplification mechanism that can provide sufficient clamping force.

[0010] The movable top cover (6) is made of acrylic of the same material, has a thickness of 10 mm and a diameter of 75 mm, and an O-ring made of silicone rubber is provided between the top cover and the container to ensure sealing performance in a vacuum environment. A through hole with a diameter of 6 mm is provided in the center of the top cover for installing the first one-way valve, and a "U"-shaped retainer is provided below the top cover.

[0011] The specimen suspension line (7) is tied to the edge of the specimen at one end and to the "U"-shaped fixture below the top cover at the other end, so that the lung tissue specimen is suspended vertically in the center of the container to avoid contact with the container wall and prevent local compression and deformation.

[0012] Lung tissue specimen (8): The fixed and dehydrated lung tissue specimen is suspended vertically in the center of the vacuum container by the specimen suspension line to avoid contact with the container wall.

[0013] The liquid inlet (9) is arranged at the bottom center of the vacuum container (6) and is fixed by threaded connection. The inner diameter of the inlet is 4 mm and the outside is connected to a hard pipe joint. The inner wall of the inlet is smooth to avoid paraffin flow resistance. An inverted umbrella-shaped flow stabilizer is provided in the center.

[0014] Detailed structure of the inverted umbrella-shaped flow stabilizer (10): The flow stabilizer is made of stainless steel sheet with a thickness of 0.5 mm and an umbrella diameter of 20 mm. The cone angle of the umbrella structure is 120°, and 12 small holes with a diameter of 2 mm are evenly distributed on the umbrella surface to disperse the paraffin outflow. The flow stabilizer is fixed to the center of the liquid inlet by a thin rod with a length of 15 mm to ensure that the flow stabilizer is properly positioned above the bottom of the container.

[0015] The liquid reservoir (11) has a capacity of 500 ml and is made of stainless steel with good corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity. A liquid level indicator and a temperature display are provided on the top of the liquid reservoir, and a heating device is provided at the bottom of the liquid reservoir to ensure uniformity of the paraffin temperature.

[0016] The vacuum container (12) is made of a transparent acrylic material with a thickness of 8-12 mm, an inner diameter of 70 mm, a height of 90 mm, and a volume of about 350 ml. The wall thickness of the container is designed to ensure that it will not deform or break in a vacuum environment of -0.9 atmospheres. The diameter of the top opening of the container is 68 mm, which forms a good sealing fit with the movable top cover. The bottom of the container is flat, which is convenient for specimen observation and paraffin deposition. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the device of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 A top view of the vacuum container.

[0019] Figure 3 AA section detail of the inverted umbrella-shaped flow stabilizer.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the longitudinal section of the workflow.

[0021] Explanation of the numbers in the figure: 1-vacuum device; 2-connecting pipe; 3-first one-way valve; 4-second one-way valve; 5-tightening buckle; 6-movable top cover; 7-specimen suspension line; 8-specimen; 9-liquid inlet; 10-rigid connecting pipe; 11-liquid storage tank; 12-vacuum container. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the specific embodiments, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0023] Example 1: Specific implementation of the device structure.

[0024] Technical parameters of the vacuum pump (1): A diaphragm vacuum pump with a power of 50-100W is used, with a maximum vacuum degree of -0.95 atmospheres and a pumping speed of 15-25L / min. The pump is equipped with a pressure regulating valve and a vacuum gauge to accurately control and display the vacuum degree. The power supply is 220V AC and has an overload protection function.

[0025] Specifications of the rigid connecting pipe (2): A stainless steel pipe with an inner diameter of 4 mm and an outer diameter of 6 mm, and a length of 300 mm. The pipe wall thickness is 1 mm, which can withstand a certain pressure without deformation. The inner wall of the pipe is polished to reduce flow resistance. Standard pipe joints are equipped at both ends to facilitate connection with the liquid reservoir and the liquid inlet.

[0026] Specific specifications of the one-way valve (3): A precision one-way valve made of stainless steel, with a 6mm hose connector as the interface specification and an opening pressure of 0.02-0.05 atmospheres. The valve body adopts a spring-loaded ball valve structure to ensure the reliability and sealing of one-way flow. The vacuum pump is located between the vacuum pump and the vacuum tank, and the vacuum tank is located between the liquid storage tank and the vacuum tank.

[0027] Technical features of the manual valve (4): A manually controlled precision one-way valve with a stainless steel body and an interface that matches the connecting pipe. The valve opening is adjustable, and the opening angle is controlled by rotating the handle, thereby precisely controlling the vacuum pumping and paraffin inflow rate. When the valve is closed, it has good sealing performance and no leakage.

[0028] The specific structure of the tensioning buckle (5) is as follows: the movable top cover and the tank body are pressurized and fixed, so that the top cover and the container are tightly connected, ensuring the sealing performance in a vacuum environment.

[0029] The specific structure of the movable top cover (6): The movable top cover is made of acrylic of the same material, with a thickness of 10 mm and a diameter of 75 mm. An O-ring made of silicone rubber is provided between the top cover and the container to ensure sealing performance in a vacuum environment. A through hole with a diameter of 6 mm is provided in the center of the top cover for installing the first one-way valve.

[0030] The specific structure of the specimen suspension line (7) is as follows: one end is tied to the edge of the specimen, and the other end is tied to the "U"-shaped fixture under the top cover, so that the specimen is suspended vertically in the center of the tank.

[0031] Specific structure of lung tissue specimen (8): lung tissue specimen after fixation and dehydration.

[0032] Structural design of the liquid inlet (9): The liquid inlet is located in the center of the bottom of the vacuum container and is fixed by a threaded connection. The inner diameter of the inlet is 4 mm and the outside is connected to a hard pipe joint. The inner wall of the inlet is smooth to avoid paraffin flow resistance.

[0033] Detailed structure of the inverted umbrella-shaped flow stabilizer (10): The flow stabilizer is made of stainless steel sheet with a thickness of 0.5 mm and an umbrella diameter of 20 mm. The cone angle of the umbrella structure is 120°, and 12 small holes with a diameter of 2 mm are evenly distributed on the umbrella surface for the dispersion and outflow of paraffin. The flow stabilizer is fixed to the center of the liquid inlet by a thin rod with a length of 15 mm to ensure that the flow stabilizer is properly positioned above the bottom of the container.

[0034] Design parameters of the liquid reservoir (11): The liquid reservoir has a capacity of 500 ml and is made of stainless steel with good corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity. The bottom is equipped with an electric heating element with a power of 200 W and a temperature controller that can accurately control the paraffin temperature within the range of 60-65°C. The top of the liquid reservoir is equipped with a liquid level indicator and a temperature display.

[0035] Specific structure of the vacuum container (12): The vacuum container is made of transparent acrylic material with a thickness of 8-12 mm, an inner diameter of 70 mm, a height of 90 mm, and a capacity of approximately 350 ml. The container wall thickness is designed to ensure that it will not deform or crack in a vacuum environment of -0.9 atmospheres. The diameter of the top opening of the container is 68 mm, forming a good seal with the movable top cover. The bottom of the container is flat, which is convenient for specimen placement and paraffin deposition.

[0036] Example 2: Specific operating steps of the method of use.

[0037] Step 1: Equipment Preparation. Check the sealing performance of the vacuum container to ensure there are no cracks or damage; clean the inner wall of the container to remove stains that may affect observation; check the working condition of the one-way valve to ensure it opens and closes smoothly; start the liquid reservoir heating system and preheat the paraffin temperature to 62°C; connect the vacuum device and check the sealing of the pipeline connections.

[0038] Step 2: Specimen Preparation: Gently place the fixed, dehydrated lung surgical specimen (no more than 1 / 3 of the container's volume) in the center of the bottom of the vacuum container. The specimen should maintain its natural shape, avoiding folding or squeezing. Close the removable lid, ensuring the O-ring is properly seated. Check the seal by gently rotating the lid to ensure a good seal.

[0039] Step 3: Vacuum expansion. Confirm that the second one-way valve is closed. Start the vacuum pump, initially setting the pumping speed to a low setting (approximately 10 L / min). Observe the vacuum gauge reading. When the vacuum reaches -0.3 atmospheres, pause for 30 seconds. Continue pumping to -0.6 atmospheres, then pause again to observe the specimen. The final vacuum level should be between -0.8 and -0.9 atmospheres. The entire vacuuming process takes approximately 5-8 minutes to avoid tissue damage caused by excessive pumping.

[0040] Step 4: Observe the expansion effect. Observe the specimen's expansion process through the transparent container wall. Under normal circumstances, the specimen volume should increase by 1.5-2 times. The lung tissue surface should appear fluffy and porous, and the color should lighten slightly. If cracks are observed on the tissue surface, stop vacuuming immediately. After expansion is complete, maintain the vacuum state for 2-3 minutes to stabilize the tissue structure.

[0041] Step 5: Paraffin injection. Confirm that the paraffin temperature is 62-65°C and that it has good fluidity. Slowly open the second one-way valve, initially opening it at approximately 15°. Observe the paraffin flow; the flow rate should be controlled at 2-3 ml / min. After being dispersed by the inverted umbrella-shaped flow stabilizer, the paraffin should evenly surround the specimen. Adjust the valve opening appropriately based on the embedding progress. When the paraffin liquid level is approximately 15 mm from the top of the container, close the second one-way valve. The entire injection process takes approximately 8-12 minutes.

[0042] Step 6: Secondary Vacuuming. After the paraffin is injected, wait 1-2 minutes for the paraffin temperature to cool slightly. Restart the vacuuming device, setting the pumping speed to low. Observe the paraffin surface and surrounding tissues for bubbles that are generated and drawn out. The second vacuuming should last 3-5 minutes. The vacuum level should not be too high, maintaining a pressure between -0.5 and -0.7 atmospheres. After completion, slowly release the vacuum to allow the pressure in the container to gradually return to normal.

[0043] Step 7: Post-processing: Open the removable top cover and remove the embedded specimen; transfer the specimen and paraffin block to a standard paraffin embedding cassette; perform staining and sectioning according to standard procedures; and clean all parts of the equipment in preparation for the next use.

[0044] Example 3: Optimization range of technical parameters.

[0045] Vacuum control range: primary vacuum: -0.3 to -0.5 atmospheres, used for initial expansion of tissue; working vacuum: -0.6 to -0.9 atmospheres, used for full expansion of tissue; secondary vacuum: -0.4 to -0.7 atmospheres, used for bubble removal.

[0046] Paraffin temperature control: Optimal temperature range: 60-65°C, ensuring good fluidity; minimum temperature: 58°C, below which fluidity is insufficient; maximum temperature: 68°C, above which tissue damage may occur.

[0047] Time control parameters: Vacuuming time: 5-10 minutes, adjusted according to specimen size; expansion stabilization time: 2-5 minutes; paraffin injection time: 8-15 minutes, adjusted according to specimen volume; secondary vacuuming time: 3-8 minutes.

[0048] Applicable scope of specimens: Specimen volume: 10-100ml, not exceeding 1 / 3 of the container volume; Specimen type: various lung lobes, lung segments, and lung wedge resection specimens; specimens after fixation and dehydration.

Claims

1. A paraffin fixation device for vacuum expansion restoration of lung surgical specimen tissue structure, characterized in that: include: A vacuum pump (1), wherein the vacuum pump (1) is a diaphragm vacuum pump with a power of 50-100W, a maximum vacuum degree of -0.95 atmospheres, and a pumping speed of 15-25L / min; The connecting pipe (2) is a stainless steel hard pipe with an inner diameter of 6 mm and an outer diameter of 8 mm, and a length of 500 mm. The pipe wall thickness is 1 mm, and it connects the vacuum device (1) and the first one-way valve; The first one-way valve (3) is a precision one-way valve made of stainless steel, with an interface specification of a 6mm hose connector, an opening pressure of 0.02-0.05 atmospheres, a spring-loaded ball valve structure inside the valve body, an upper valve direction toward the vacuum device (1), and a lower valve direction toward the vacuum container (12); The second manual control valve (4) is a manually controlled precision ball valve, the valve body is made of stainless steel, the valve opening degree is adjustable, and the opening angle is controlled by rotating the handle; The specific structure of the tension buckle (5): the movable top cover and the vacuum container are fixed with a tension buckle under pressure, so that the top cover and the container are tightly connected; The movable top cover (6) is made of acrylic material with a thickness of 10 mm and a diameter of 75 mm. An O-type silicone rubber sealing ring is provided between the top cover and the container, and a through hole with a diameter of 6 mm is provided in the center of the top cover; The specimen suspension line (7) has one end tied to the edge of the specimen and the other end tied to the "U"-shaped fixture below the top cover, so that the specimen is suspended vertically in the center of the container; Lung tissue specimens (8); A liquid inlet (9) is provided at the center of the bottom of the vacuum container (6) and is fixed by a threaded connection. The inner diameter of the inlet is 4 mm. Inverted umbrella-shaped flow stabilizer (10): The flow stabilizer is made of stainless steel sheet with a thickness of 0.5 mm and an umbrella diameter of 20 mm. The cone angle of the umbrella structure is 120°, and 12 small holes with a diameter of 2 mm are evenly distributed on the umbrella surface; The liquid reservoir (11) has a capacity of 500 ml and is made of stainless steel with good corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity; The vacuum container (12) is made of a transparent acrylic material with a thickness of 8-12 mm, an inner diameter of 70 mm, a height of 90 mm, and a volume of about 350 ml.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The movable top cover (5) and the vacuum container (6) are fixed by tensioning buckles under pressure to ensure sealing performance in a vacuum environment.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The wall thickness of the vacuum container (6) is designed to ensure that no deformation or rupture occurs in a vacuum environment of -0.9 atmospheres. The diameter of the top opening of the container is 68 mm, and the bottom is designed to be flat.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The specimen suspension line (7) allows the lung tissue specimen to be suspended vertically in the center of the container to avoid contact with the container wall.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The inner wall of the liquid inlet (9) is smooth to avoid paraffin flow resistance, and an inverted umbrella-shaped flow stabilizer is provided in the center.

6. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein: The inverted umbrella-shaped flow stabilizer is made of a stainless steel sheet with a thickness of 0.5 mm, an umbrella surface diameter of 20 mm, a cone angle of 120°, and 12 small holes with a diameter of 2 mm evenly distributed on the umbrella surface.

7. A paraffin-fixing method for reducing the tissue structure of lung surgical specimens using the apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Step 1: vertically suspend the fixed and dehydrated lung surgical specimen in the center of the vacuum container (6) through the specimen suspension line (7), cover the movable top cover (5), and ensure sealing by tightening the buckle; Step 2: closing the second one-way valve (4), starting the vacuum pumping device (1), and evacuating the vacuum container (6) through the connecting pipe (2) and the first one-way valve (3); Step 3: Under vacuum, the suspended lung tissue specimen naturally expands due to the pressure difference, restoring its original tissue structure; Step 4: When the tissue specimen expands to a predetermined extent, stop vacuuming and slowly open the second one-way valve (4) by rotating the handle; Step 5: The temperature-controlled paraffin liquid flows from the liquid reservoir (12) through the hard connecting tube (10) and the liquid inlet (9) into the vacuum container (6), and is evenly embedded in the suspended tissue specimen by the inverted umbrella-shaped flow stabilizer; Step 6: When the paraffin is completely embedded in the tissue specimen and maintains a certain distance from the top of the container, close the second one-way valve (4); Step 7: Start the vacuum pump (1) again to remove the air introduced during the paraffin embedding process and ensure that there are no bubbles in the embedded tissue specimen.

8. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that The vacuum degree in step 3 is controlled between -0.6 and -0.9 atmospheres.

9. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that The secondary vacuuming time in step 7 is controlled within 2-5 minutes to ensure that bubbles are fully removed.

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