Gastrointestinal endoscope needle holder and gastrointestinal endoscope suture system
By designing independently sliding needle holding and camera parts in the endoscope needle holder, the problem of difficulty in adjusting the needle posture in narrow and curved areas in the prior art has been solved, enabling a more direct, flexible and precise suturing operation.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- XIONGAN XUANWU HOSPITAL
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-02
AI Technical Summary
Existing endoscope needle holders make it difficult to achieve independent, flexible, and precise adjustment of the needle posture in narrow or curved digestive tract areas, leading to difficult suturing operations and increased risks.
Design a digestive endoscope needle holder, including a main tube body, a needle holding part and a camera part. The needle holding part and the camera part slide within the cavity of the main tube body through independent first and second tube bodies. Equipped with a built-in drive, it can independently adjust the angle and field of view, avoiding reliance on the bending of the entire endoscope.
It enables direct, flexible, and precise control of the needle angle in narrow, curved areas, reducing operational difficulty and risk, and improving the feasibility of suturing.
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Figure CN122123743A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a digestive endoscope needle holder and a digestive endoscope suturing system. Background Technology
[0002] With the development of endoscopic technology and other related technologies, digestive endoscopy has evolved from disease diagnosis to disease treatment over the decades since its inception. It has become highly effective and reliable in treating some digestive diseases, even becoming the preferred treatment for others. In recent years, with the advancement of endoscopic technology, its diagnosis and treatment of digestive tract polyps, submucosal tumors, and early digestive tract cancers are gradually becoming a preferred method. Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR), endoscopic tunneling techniques (POEM, STER, etc.), and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) are rapidly being adopted in clinical practice.
[0003] For postoperative defects in the digestive tract wall, the main suturing techniques used in clinical practice are tissue clips, three-arm clips, and nylon rings. However, for larger wounds, these suturing techniques are not always effective, and there are frequent cases of poor healing, delayed perforation, and bleeding. Endoscopic suture with a needle holder is a more effective and less complication-prone procedure. In particular, when absorbable sutures are used, there is no need to worry about suture material residue.
[0004] When using existing medical needle holders to hold medical suture needles, to achieve the required suturing angle for wounds in different locations and directions, it is often necessary to rely on a knob to control the direction of the endoscope tip, which in turn drives the needle holder. In areas of the digestive tract that are narrow or tortuous, such as the esophagus, gastric fundus, duodenal bulb, and descending segment, the endoscope tip is difficult to bend at multiple angles, resulting in less precise and flexible suturing. Moreover, relying on the camera at the tip of the endoscope makes it difficult to provide a comprehensive and multi-angle view of the surgical field of the suture area, and it is impossible to avoid instrument damage to other tissues. The implementation of the above-mentioned operating techniques becomes quite difficult. Summary of the Invention
[0005] This disclosure aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art or related technologies.
[0006] Therefore, in the first aspect of this disclosure, a digestive endoscope needle holder is provided, comprising: The main body includes a first chamber and a second chamber, which are arranged along the extension direction of the main body. The needle holding part includes a first tube, a first driving member, and a needle holder. The first tube slides through the first chamber and has at least one first deformation section. The first driving member is disposed in the first deformation section. The needle holder is connected to the first driving member, and at least the clamping end of the needle holder protrudes from the first tube. The first driving member is used to drive the clamping angle and clamping action of the needle holder. The camera unit includes a second tube, a second drive member, and a camera. The second tube is slidably disposed in the second chamber and has at least one second deformation section. The second drive member is disposed within the second deformation section, and the camera is connected to the second drive member. The second drive member is used to adjust the illumination angle of the camera.
[0007] In some embodiments, the first deformable portion may extend out of the first chamber, the second deformable portion may extend out of the second chamber, and the second deformable portion is longer than the first deformable portion.
[0008] In some embodiments, the first driving member includes an opening / closing driving member and a rotation driving member. The opening / closing driving member includes an opening / closing push-pull wire and a first knob. One end of the opening / closing push-pull wire is connected to the rotating teeth of the needle holder, and the other end is connected to the first knob. The first knob is used to drive the opening / closing push-pull wire. The rotation driving member includes a fixing member, a connecting member, a first push-pull wire assembly, a second push-pull wire assembly, and a second knob. One end of the first push-pull wire assembly and the second push-pull wire assembly is connected to the fixing member, and the other end is connected to the second knob. The fixing member has a connecting position and a spherical portion. The connecting member has a ball socket. The connecting position and the spherical portion are disposed opposite to each other. The needle holder is connected to the connecting position. The spherical portion is rotatably connected to the ball socket. The second knob is used to apply a force to the fixing member in a first rotational direction by the first push-pull wire assembly, and to apply a force to the fixing member in a second rotational direction by the second push-pull wire assembly.
[0009] In some embodiments, a drive handle is also included, which is connected to the main body, and the drive ends of the first drive member and the second drive member are disposed on the drive handle.
[0010] In some embodiments, the drive handle includes a connecting body and a handle, the handle being connected to the connecting body, and the drive ends of the first drive member and the second drive member being disposed on the connecting body. The handle and / or the connecting body are provided with an opening and closing trigger; The outer side of the connecting body is provided with multiple control components; The opening and closing trigger is used to drive the needle holder to clamp; The multiple control components respectively control the illumination angle of the camera and the clamping angle of the needle holder.
[0011] In some embodiments, the second driving component includes a commutator, a first push-pull wire, a second push-pull wire, and a servo motor. The camera is connected to the commutator, which has a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction. The first rotation direction intersects with the second rotation direction. The servo motor is used to provide the first push-pull wire to drive the commutator to swing in the first rotation direction, and the second push-pull wire to drive the commutator to swing in the second rotation direction.
[0012] In some implementations, the commutator is a universal joint.
[0013] In some implementations, the camera is a wide-angle short-focus camera.
[0014] In some embodiments, the camera is provided with multiple light source groups, which are evenly distributed along the circumference of the camera.
[0015] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a digestive endoscopy suturing system, including the aforementioned digestive endoscopy needle holder.
[0016] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution provided in this disclosure. In order to better understand the technical means of this disclosure and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other features and effects of this disclosure more obvious and understandable, the following are specific examples of the implementation methods of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description
[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.
[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0019] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the clamping part and the camera part disclosed herein; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first and second driving components disclosed herein; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the clamping part and the camera part after the angle is adjusted according to the present disclosure; Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the fasteners and connectors disclosed herein; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the reversing component, the first push-pull wire, and the second push-pull wire disclosed in this invention. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the light source group disclosed herein; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second knob, the first sub-knob, and the second sub-knob of this disclosure.
[0020] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1-Main tube; 11-First chamber; 12-Second chamber; 2-Needle holding part; 21-First tube body; 211-First deformation part; 22-First driving component; 221-Opening and closing driving component; 2211-Opening and closing push-pull steel wire; 2212-First knob; 2221-Fixing component; 2222-Connecting component; 2223-First push-pull steel wire assembly; 2224-Second push-pull steel wire assembly; 2225-Second knob; 22251-First sub-knob; 222 51-Second sub-knob; 2226-Connection position; 2227-Spherical part; 23-Needle holder; 3-Camera part; 31-Second tube body; 311-Second deformation part; 32-Second driving component; 321-Reversing component; 322-First push-pull steel wire; 323-Second push-pull steel wire; 324-Servo motor; 33-Camera; 331-Light source group; 4-Drive handle; 41-Connecting body; 42-Handle; 43-Opening / closing trigger; 44-Control component. Detailed Implementation
[0021] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this disclosure, the solutions disclosed herein will be further described below. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other.
[0022] Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of this disclosure, but this disclosure may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein; obviously, the embodiments in the specification are only some, and not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure.
[0023] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims and foregoing description of the drawings of this disclosure are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.
[0024] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, technical terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary or secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.
[0025] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.
[0026] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.
[0027] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, the technical terms "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "circumferential," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this disclosure and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, operated, or used in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this disclosure.
[0028] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.
[0029] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the technical term "contact" should be interpreted broadly, and can be direct contact, contact through an intermediate medium layer, contact between two contacting parties with substantially no interaction force, or contact between two contacting parties with interaction force.
[0030] With the rapid development of endoscopic treatment technology, endoscopic mucosal resection, submucosal dissection and full-thickness resection have become the preferred or important means of treating gastrointestinal polyps, early cancer and submucosal tumors. However, these treatment procedures will create artificial wounds or defects on the gastrointestinal wall.
[0031] Currently, while endoscopic suture using a needle holder (especially with absorbable sutures) offers advantages such as reliable closure and low complication rate for postoperative wound closure, existing needle holder techniques have significant limitations in actual clinical practice, particularly in areas with narrow or highly anatomically curved digestive tract lumens (such as the esophagus, gastric fundus, duodenal bulb, and descending duodenal tract). Because the needle holder itself lacks flexible angle adjustment capabilities, suturing relies on the bending and rotation of the endoscope tip to adjust the spatial posture and insertion direction of the needle, and on the camera at the endoscope tip to illuminate the surgical field. However, in these complex areas, the bending angle of the endoscope itself is limited, the operating space is small, and the camera at the endoscope tip cannot provide comprehensive, multi-angle illumination of the surgical field of the suture area. This makes it difficult for surgeons to accurately and stably control the needle to match the suturing angle required for wounds of different locations and orientations, making the suturing operation exceptionally difficult, time-consuming, and riskier. This limits the widespread adoption and application of this reliable suturing technique in complex anatomical regions. Existing technologies rely on traditional needle holders that are guided by the endoscope, which cannot achieve independent, flexible, and precise adjustment of the needle posture in the narrow and winding digestive tract area, resulting in poor operational feasibility and a steep learning curve for suturing complex wounds.
[0032] Based on this, this disclosure provides a digestive endoscope needle holder. The needle holder and camera unit of this disclosure can slide independently within the first and second chambers of the main tube body via their respective first and second tube bodies. That is, the needle holder and camera unit can extend, retract, and adjust their positions relative to the main tube body 1 and each other to a certain extent, thereby achieving independent positioning of the functional components. In use, the main tube body enters the surgical area requiring suturing through the endoscope biopsy channel. By equipping the needle holder 2 and camera unit 3 with independent deformation parts with built-in driving components, allowing them to slide independently, the needle holder can achieve multi-degree-of-freedom angle positioning and adjustment independently of the endoscope under a better field of view, without excessive reliance on the overall curvature of the external endoscope. This solves the technical problem of existing needle holders that rely on the overall guidance of the endoscope and cannot achieve independent, flexible, and precise adjustment of the suture posture in narrow and curved digestive tract areas. This makes the control of the suture angle more direct, flexible, and precise when performing endoscopic suturing in complex anatomical areas of the digestive tract, reducing operational difficulty and risk.
[0033] The following is a detailed description of the endoscope needle holder through specific embodiments: Reference Figures 1 to 7 As shown, this disclosure provides a digestive endoscope needle holder, comprising: The main body 1 includes a first chamber 11 and a second chamber 12, which are arranged along the extension direction of the main body 1. The needle holding part 2 includes a first tube 21, a first driving member 22, and a needle holder 23. The first tube 21 slides through the first chamber 11 and has at least one first deformation portion 211. The first driving member 22 is disposed within the first deformation portion 211. The needle holder 23 is connected to the first driving member 22, and at least the needle holder 23... The clamping end of the first tube 21 is exposed. The first driving member 22 is used to drive the clamping angle and clamping action of the needle holder 23. The camera unit 3 includes a second tube 31, a second driving member 32 and a camera 33. The second tube 31 is slidably inserted into the second chamber 12 and has at least one second deformation part 311. The second driving member 32 is disposed in the second deformation part 311. The camera 33 is connected to the second driving member 32 and the second driving member 32 is used to adjust the illumination angle of the camera 33.
[0034] The main body 1 of this disclosure is the main support and channel structure of the endoscopic needle holder, containing two independent spaces extending along its length: a first chamber 11 and a second chamber 12. The needle holder 2 is a functional component for clamping and manipulating the suture needle, consisting of a first tube 21, a first drive member 22, and a needle holder 23. The first tube 21 can be configured as a slidable, elongated tubular structure, with a portion designed as a first deformation section 211, capable of bending and deforming under external force or drive. The first drive member 22 is disposed inside the first deformation section 211 to provide driving action. The needle holder 23 is connected to the first drive member 22, with its front end for clamping the suture needle protruding outside the first tube 21. The first drive member 22 can drive the needle holder 23 to clamp or release the suture needle and can adjust the spatial pointing angle of the front end of the needle holder 23. The camera unit 3 is a component for providing a surgical field of view, consisting of a second tube 31, a second drive member 32, and a camera 33. The second tube 31 is also a sliding slender tubular structure, with a section of it designed as the second deformation part 311; the second driving member 32 is disposed inside the second deformation part 311; the camera 33 is connected to the second driving member 32, and the second driving member 32 can drive the camera 33 to change its shooting angle.
[0035] Specifically, when performing endoscopic suturing in narrow or tortuous areas of the digestive tract, the main challenge lies in the difficulty of adjusting the needle holder's direction by relying on the overall curvature of the endoscope, resulting in poor visibility and making it difficult to match the needle posture to complex wounds. The needle holder 2 and camera unit 3 of this disclosure can independently slide within the first chamber 11 and second chamber 12 of the main tube 1 via their respective first tube 21 and second tube 31. That is, the needle holder 2 and camera unit 3 can extend, retract, and adjust their position relative to the main tube 1 and between themselves to a certain extent, thereby achieving independent positioning of the functional components.
[0036] Furthermore, a first deformation part 211 is provided on the first tube 21 of the needle-holding part 2, and a second deformation part 311 is provided on the second tube 31 of the camera part 3. It should be noted that the first driving member 22 is integrated inside the first deformation part 211 to directly drive the needle holder 23; the second driving member 32 is integrated inside the second deformation part 311 to directly drive the camera 33. This allows the bending of the first deformation part 211 to directly and synchronously change the spatial angle of the needle holder 23, and the bending of the second deformation part 311 to directly and synchronously change the viewing angle of the camera 33. Therefore, the angle adjustment of the needle holder 23 no longer depends entirely on the torsion of the main tube 1 or the external endoscope, but can be achieved independently and precisely by controlling the deformation of the first deformation part 211. Similarly, the viewing angle of the camera 33 can also be independently adjusted by the deformation of the second deformation part 311.
[0037] Once the present invention reaches a complex surgical area within the digestive tract (such as the fundus of the stomach or the descending duodenum) via the endoscopic instrument channel, even if the external endoscope body is difficult to bend significantly due to space constraints, the operator can still complete the suturing through the following steps. First, the second tube 31 of the camera unit 3 is extended by sliding it, and the second deformation part 311 is bent by using the second drive member 32, thereby independently adjusting the illumination angle of the camera 33 to obtain a clear and targeted local view of the wound. Then, the first tube 21 of the needle holder 2 is extended by sliding it, and the first deformation part 211 is bent by using the first drive member 22, thereby independently adjusting the needle holder 23 and the suture needle it holds to the most suitable insertion angle with the wound edge. Since the angle adjustment of the needle holder 23 is independent of the overall movement of the endoscope and is achieved through the deformation of its own front end, it can flexibly adapt to wounds of different locations and orientations, such as completing precise transverse or oblique suturing in narrow cavities. It is understood that the needle and suture insertion methods in endoscopic suturing are existing technologies and will not be described in detail here. It should be noted that the first tube 21 and the second tube 31 have independent drive parts outside the endoscope channel. When their tube bodies are set as cylinders, they can rotate in the first chamber 11 and the second chamber 12, thereby controlling the rotation of the first tube 21 and the second tube 31 through the drive parts. In addition, the drive parts can push and pull the corresponding first tube 21 and the second tube 31, so that the first tube 21 and the second tube 31 can extend and retract within the first chamber 11 and the second chamber 12, so as to cooperate with the first drive member 22 and the second drive member 32 to achieve multi-directional angle adjustment.
[0038] In summary, this disclosure, by equipping the needle holder 2 and the camera unit 3 with independent deformable parts equipped with built-in driving components, and enabling them to slide independently, achieves multi-degree-of-freedom angle positioning and adjustment of the needle holder 23 independently of the endoscope without excessive reliance on the overall bending of the external endoscope. This solves the technical problem of existing needle holders that rely on the overall guidance of the endoscope, which cannot achieve independent, flexible, and precise adjustment of the suture posture in narrow and curved digestive tract areas. This makes the control of the suture angle more direct, flexible, and precise when performing endoscopic suturing in complex anatomical areas of the digestive tract, reducing operational difficulty and risk.
[0039] In some embodiments, the first deformable portion 211 may extend out of the first chamber 11, the second deformable portion 311 may extend out of the second chamber 12, and the second deformable portion 311 is longer than the first deformable portion 211.
[0040] In this embodiment, the first deformable part 211 and the second deformable part 311 can extend out of their respective chambers, allowing the driving and angle adjustment parts of the needle-holding part 2 (the first deformable part 211 and the first driving member 22 and needle holder 23 integrated therein) and the viewing angle adjustment parts of the camera part 3 (the second deformable part 311 and the second driving member 32 and camera 33 integrated therein) to be positioned independently of the end of the main tube 1. During operation, once the main tube 1 and endoscope reach the vicinity of the target area, the operator can first slide the second tube 31 of the camera part 3 forward, allowing the second deformable part 311 to extend out of the second chamber 12 and enter a better observation position near the surgical wound. Then, the operator can independently slide the first tube 21 of the needle-holding part 2, allowing the first deformable part 211 to extend out of the first chamber 11 and approach the wound for suturing. This independently extendable design allows the two functional components to be deployed more precisely according to the specific spatial location of the wound, avoiding the constraint of the end position of the main tube 1 on their working positions.
[0041] Specifically, the second deformable part 311 is longer than the first deformable part 211. This length difference optimizes the operational sequence and field of view coverage. In clinical practice, when the device approaches the surgical area, the longer second deformable part 311, along with the camera 33, can be extended and bent in advance to allow it to traverse anatomical structures (such as folds) or enter deeper into curved lumens earlier, thus obtaining a wider initial field of view with fewer blind spots. Because the camera 33 has independent bending capability (through the second deformable part 311), even during its extended stroke, the lens remains focused on the area of interest. Subsequently, the relatively shorter first deformable part 211 extends further, precisely positioning the needle holder 23 to the target needle insertion point under the clear, blind-spot-free field of view already provided by the camera 33. The combination of the long camera arm and the short needle holder arm ensures that the coverage of the camera observation always encompasses and precedes the area of needle holding operation, providing continuous visual monitoring for precise needle and suture manipulation.
[0042] It should be noted that this embodiment, based on independent angle adjustment, further endows the needle holder 2 and the camera unit 3 with independent depth positioning capabilities. The combination of independent depth positioning and independent end-point orientation allows the operator to flexibly deploy the camera 33 at the optimal observation point to eliminate blind spots in areas with limited space and complex curvature, such as the esophagus, gastric fundus, duodenal bulb, and descending segment, while simultaneously precisely delivering the needle holder 23 to the suture point and independently adjusting it to the most suitable needle insertion angle.
[0043] In this embodiment, the first driving member 22 includes an opening and closing driving member 221 and a rotation driving member. The opening and closing driving member 221 includes an opening and closing push-pull steel wire 2211 and a first knob 2212. One end of the opening and closing push-pull steel wire 2211 is connected to the rotating teeth of the needle holder 23, and the other end is connected to the first knob 2212. The first knob 2212 is used to drive the opening and closing push-pull steel wire 2211. The rotation driving member includes a fixing member 2221, a connecting member 2222, a first push-pull steel wire group 2223, a second push-pull steel wire group 2224, and a second knob 2225. The first push-pull steel wire group 2223 and the second push-pull steel wire group 2224 are connected at one end. The first end is connected to the fixing member 2221, and the other end is connected to the second knob 2225. The fixing member 2221 has a connecting position 2226 and a spherical part 2227. The connecting member 2222 has a ball socket. The connecting position 2226 and the spherical part 2227 are arranged opposite to each other. The needle holder 23 is connected to the connecting position 2226. The spherical part 2227 is rotatably connected to the ball socket. The second knob 2225 is used to apply a force to the first push-pull wire assembly 2223 to drive the fixing member 2221 in a first rotation direction, and to apply a force to the second push-pull wire assembly 2224 to drive the second push-pull wire assembly 2224 in a second rotation direction.
[0044] In this embodiment, the opening / closing drive 221 controls the clamping and releasing action of the needle holder 23 on the suture needle. It consists of an opening / closing push-pull wire 2211 and a first knob 2212. One end of the opening / closing push-pull wire 2211 is connected to a transmission mechanism such as rotating teeth inside the needle holder 23 for controlling the opening and closing of the jaws, and the other end is connected to the first knob 2212 controlled by the operator. By rotating or pushing / pulling the first knob 2212, the opening / closing push-pull wire 2211 can be actuated, thereby driving the jaws of the needle holder 23 to clamp or release. The rotation drive is responsible for adjusting the pointing angle of the needle holder 23 and the suture needle it holds in space. It consists of a fixing member 2221, a connecting member 2222, a first push-pull wire group 2223, a second push-pull wire group 2224, and a second knob 2225. The connecting position 2226 is used to install the needle holder 23, and the spherical part 2227 is used to realize the angle rotation. The connector 2222 has a ball joint that matches the spherical portion 2227. The spherical portion 2227 is fitted into the ball joint to form a ball joint connection, allowing the fixing member 2221 and its needle holder 23 to rotate in multiple directions relative to the connector 2222. The first push-pull wire assembly 2223 and the second push-pull wire assembly 2224 are each connected at one end to the fixing member 2221 (usually near the spherical portion 2227 or in a part rigidly connected to the spherical portion 2227), and at the other end to the second knob 2225. The second knob 2225 is as follows: Figure 7The device shown has a first sub-knob 22251 and a second sub-knob 22252. The first sub-knob 22251 controls the first push-pull wire assembly 2223, and the second sub-knob 22252 controls the second push-pull wire assembly 2224. When the first push-pull wire assembly 2223 is tightened, a force is applied to the fixing member 2221, causing it to rotate in a first rotation direction. When the second push-pull wire assembly 2224 is tightened, a force is applied to cause it to rotate in a second rotation direction different from the first rotation direction. Specifically, the first rotation direction and the second rotation direction can be set to be perpendicular, that is, the first rotation direction controls the needle holder to tilt (up and down), and the second rotation direction controls the needle holder 23 to swing (left and right). Of course, when the first push-pull wire assembly 2223 and the second push-pull wire assembly 2224 are equipped with push-pull wires in multiple directions, the clamping angle adjustment of the needle holder 23 can be more precise, such as tilting upwards or downwards.
[0045] In this design, the rotary drive unit provides a multi-degree-of-freedom rotational fulcrum for the needle holder 23 through its ball joint structure (the engagement of the spherical part 2227 and the ball socket). By manipulating the second knob 2225, the operator can selectively pull the first push-pull wire group 2223 or the second push-pull wire group 2224, directly and independently applying rotational torques in different directions to the fixing member 2221 (and the needle holder 23 fixed thereto), thereby driving the needle holder 23 to change its orientation in space around the center of the ball joint. This angle adjustment process is entirely completed independently by the rotary drive unit integrated in the first deformation part 211, without relying on the bending of the main body 1 or the external endoscope. At the same time, the opening and closing drive unit 221 independently controls the jaw action of the needle holder 23 through the opening and closing push-pull wire 2211, ensuring that the needle can be reliably clamped or released after the angle is adjusted.
[0046] In some embodiments, a drive handle 4 is also included, which is connected to the main body 1, and the drive ends of the first drive member 22 and the second drive member 32 are disposed on the drive handle 4.
[0047] In this embodiment, the drive handle is fixedly connected to the end of the main body 1 near the operator, and the drive ends of the first drive member 22 and the second drive member 32, i.e., the parts that receive operator input to control the action, are integrated onto the drive handle 4. This embodiment establishes a centralized and ergonomic control interface. The drive handle 4, as the part held and directly controlled by the operator, is fixedly connected to the main body 1, allowing the operator to guide the main body 1 and its connected distal functional components to perform a wide range of advancement, retraction, or turning within the human body cavity by holding and moving the handle. It should be noted that the drive ends of the first drive member 22 used to control the clamping action and angle of the needle holder 23 (such as the first knob 2212 and the second knob 2225 mentioned above), and the drive ends of the second drive member 32 used to adjust the illumination angle of the camera 33, are both arranged on the drive handle. This allows the operator to operate the corresponding drive ends on the handle directly with the thumb or index finger of the same hand in the same holding posture without having to remove their hand from the handle to operate other independent control units.
[0048] In clinical practice, when suturing wounds at bends in the digestive tract, the operator holds the drive handle with one hand to position the instrument. When fine adjustment of the distal needle holder 23 is needed to match the wound orientation, the operator's thumb or finger can directly manipulate the drive end of the first drive element 22 on the drive handle. This operation command is transmitted directly and instantly to the actuator of the first drive element 22 within the distal first deformation section 211 via a transmission element (such as a push-pull wire) that runs through the first tube 21, thereby driving the needle holder 23 to produce a corresponding angle change. Similarly, adjusting the viewing angle of the camera 33 is also accomplished by manipulating the drive end of the second drive element 32 on the drive handle. This design, which integrates the control of core movements into the handheld part, directly links the independent movement of distal functional components with the operator's intuitive hand control, reducing the separation of operation steps and the distraction of attention. This implementation makes the operation more direct, focused, and efficient, building upon the independent angle adjustment function of the needle holder. The operator can simultaneously perform macroscopic positioning of the instrument, microscopic angle adjustment of the needle holder, and field of view control of the camera by operating the drive handle with one hand. This significantly reduces the complexity of coordinating multiple operations in narrow and curved cavities.
[0049] In some embodiments, the drive handle 4 includes a connecting body 41 and a handle 42, the handle 42 being connected to the connecting body 41, and the driving ends of the first driving member 22 and the second driving member 32 being disposed on the connecting body 41. The handle 42 and / or the connecting body 41 are provided with an opening and closing trigger 43. The outer side of the connecting body 41 is provided with a plurality of control members 44. The opening and closing trigger 43 is used to drive the needle holder 23 to clamp. The plurality of control members 44 respectively control the illumination angle of the camera 33 and the clamping angle of the needle holder 23.
[0050] In this embodiment, the drive handle 4 includes a connecting body 41 and a handle 42, wherein the handle 42 is fixedly connected to the connecting body 41, providing the operator with the main gripping area. The driving ends of the first drive member 22 and the second drive member 32 are both disposed on the connecting body. Specifically, an opening / closing trigger 43 is provided on the handle 42 and / or the connecting body 41. Meanwhile, multiple independent control members 44 are arranged on the outer surface of the connecting body 41. The opening / closing trigger 43 is specifically configured to drive the needle holder 23 to perform clamping and releasing actions on the suture needle. The multiple control members 44 are respectively configured such that at least one control member controls the adjustment of the illumination angle of the camera 33, and at least another control member controls the adjustment of the clamping angle of the needle holder 23.
[0051] Specifically, the travel and feel of the opening / closing trigger 43 are specifically matched to the frequent and rapid-response operation of driving the needle holder 23 to clamp the suture needle. The operator can control the opening and closing of the jaws of the distal needle holder 23 via the opening / closing drive 221 (and its internal transmission mechanism such as the opening / closing push-pull wire 2211) by pulling the opening / closing trigger with a single finger. Multiple control components (such as knobs, levers, or rockers) are arranged side-by-side on the outer side of the connecting body, each independently mapped to the second drive 32 controlling the angle of the camera 33 and the rotation drive (or the part of the first drive 22 responsible for angle adjustment) controlling the angle of the needle holder 23. It should be noted that in the above embodiment, the opening and closing (clamping) of the needle holder 23 is driven by a knob. Therefore, in this example, the opening / closing trigger 43 can be connected in series with the first knob 2212. The opening / closing trigger 43 drives the first knob 2212 to rotate, and the first knob 2212 drives the opening / closing push-pull wire to open and close the needle holder 23. Alternatively, the opening / closing trigger 43 can be connected in parallel with the first knob 2212. The first knob 2212 can drive the opening / closing push-pull wire to open and close the needle holder 23, and the opening / closing trigger 43 can also drive the opening / closing push-pull wire to open and close the needle holder 23. Specifically, in this embodiment, the second drive component 32 that drives the camera 33 to adjust its angle can be linked to the first knob 221, while the opening / closing trigger 43 only controls the opening and closing of the needle holder 23. It should be noted that the above-mentioned multiple control components can be the first knob 2212 and the second knob 2225 themselves, or other control units (such as the aforementioned lever or rocker). The arrangement of the control components is intended to integrate the driving terminals of the needle holder 23 and the camera 33 onto the drive handle 4. The specific location of the multiple control components is not limited.
[0052] This layout allows the thumb or forefinger to naturally reach and operate these controls without altering the grip. When suturing wounds in curved sections of the digestive tract (such as the descending duodenum), the operator holds the drive handle 4 with one hand, using the handle 42 to stabilize the entire instrument. When adjusting the field of view, the thumb operates the corresponding control 44 on the main body to independently adjust the angle of the camera 33 for optimal viewing. When adjusting the needle posture to align with the wound edge, the thumb or forefinger operates another corresponding control 44 to independently adjust the pointing angle of the needle holder 23. When the angle is adjusted to prepare for needle insertion, the forefinger naturally pulls the opening / closing trigger 42, driving the needle holder 23 to clamp the needle and complete the puncture. This precise control of distal instruments can be achieved continuously and quickly through different finger movements of the holding hand on a single handle. By assigning the clamping action to the opening / closing trigger 42 and the angle adjustment action to multiple independent controls 44, specialized control commands and spatial separation are achieved at the handle level. This reduces interference and the possibility of misoperation between multiple delicate operations, making the complex process of coordinating field of vision adjustment, needle angle adjustment, and clamping actions within narrow cavities more intuitive and efficient. Furthermore, it optimizes the user experience, ensuring that the independent needle holder angle adjustment function implemented in the preceding protocol can be reliably and accurately executed by the operator in stressful clinical environments. This reinforces the effectiveness of the entire device in addressing the technical challenge of independently adjusting needle posture during suturing in complex anatomical areas.
[0053] In some embodiments, the second driving member 32 includes a commutator 321, a first push-pull wire 322, a second push-pull wire 323, and a servo motor 324. The camera 33 is connected to the commutator 321. The commutator 321 has a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction, which intersect. The servo motor 324 is used to provide the first push-pull wire 322 to drive the commutator 321 to swing in the first rotation direction, and the second push-pull wire 323 to drive the commutator 321 to swing in the second rotation direction.
[0054] In this embodiment, the commutator 321 is the direct mounting base of the camera 33 and serves as its angular deflection joint. The first push-pull wire 322 and the second push-pull wire 323 are two independent transmission elements. A servo motor is an actuator that converts electrical signals into precise rotary or linear motion. In this structure, the camera 33 is fixedly connected to the commutator 321. The commutator 321 can swing around two different axes, i.e., it has a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction, and these two rotation directions intersect, thereby allowing the camera 33 to adjust its orientation within a three-dimensional conical range. The servo motor provides driving force; when it pulls the first push-pull wire 322 through the transmission mechanism, it drives the commutator 321 to swing the camera 33 in the first rotation direction; when it pulls the second push-pull wire 323, it drives the commutator 321 to swing the camera 33 in the second rotation direction. In this design, the second driving component 32, through the combination of the reversing component 321 and the double push-pull steel wires, enables the camera 33 to independently swing in two intersecting directions. This allows the viewing angle adjustment of the camera 33 to no longer rely solely on the bending deformation of the second tube 31, or to work in conjunction with its bending deformation, achieving more precise angle fine-tuning. The servo motor 324, as the driving source, provides a stable and controllable force. By controlling its amplitude and direction of operation, the pulling amount of the two push-pull steel wires can be precisely controlled, thereby achieving high-precision control of the swing angle of the reversing component. It is understood that the servo motor 324 described in this design is a miniature servo motor, with its electrical connections all located within the main tube or the second tube.
[0055] Specifically, the control buttons of the servo motor 324 can be driven by the first knob 2212 and / or the second knob 2225. The first knob 2212 can control the first push-pull wire 322 to swing the camera up and down, and the second knob 2225 can control the second push-pull wire 333 to swing the camera left and right. Because the first push-pull wire 322 and the second push-pull wire 333 are controlled separately, the servo motor 324 can be equipped with multiple output terminals.
[0056] In clinical practice, a clear and unobstructed field of vision is essential when the needle holder 23 needs to be adjusted in narrow and curved areas such as the duodenum. The operator can independently and electrically adjust the pitch or yaw angle of the camera 33 by controlling the servo motor to drive the first push-pull wire 322 or the second push-pull wire 323, ensuring that its lens is always aligned with the wound and the tip of the needle holder 23. This rapid, precise, and independent field-of-view adjustment capability ensures that the operator can continuously obtain the best possible view. Guided by this stable field of view, the operator can effectively utilize the independent angle adjustment function of the needle holder 2 to precisely adjust the needle to the required insertion angle. This solution, by providing active, precise, and independent field-of-view control, solves the problem of optimizing the surgical field of view in complex anatomical environments, thus laying a reliable visual foundation for subsequent precise angle adjustment of the needle holder 23 and suturing operations. Specifically, the drive unit of the servo motor 324 can be integrated into the drive handle 4. A joystick, pulley or knob can be selected. The output power of the servo motor 324 can be controlled by the rotation angle, swing angle and other drive methods of the drive unit. The above drive methods are existing technologies and will not be described in detail here.
[0057] In some embodiments, the commutator 321 is a universal joint.
[0058] In this embodiment, the universal joint, also known as a universal joint, is a mechanical connection component whose core structure consists of two pivots or hinges that intersect at a 90-degree angle to form a joint with two mutually perpendicular axes of rotation.
[0059] By designating the commutator 321 as a universal joint, a stable and reliable mechanical solution is provided for achieving precise angle control of the camera. The structural characteristics of the universal joint allow it to rotate independently around two fixed, mutually perpendicular axes. For example, when the first push-pull wire 322 is driven by the servo motor 324, its tension acts on one of the pivots of the universal joint, driving the camera 33 to swing around the axis corresponding to that pivot, thus adjusting the first rotation direction. Similarly, when the second push-pull wire is driven, its tension acts on the other perpendicular pivot, driving the camera 33 to swing around the other axis, thus adjusting the second rotation direction. Since the two pivots intersect perpendicularly in space, the illumination angle of the camera 33 can be adjusted independently and without interference in both pitch and yaw dimensions. Therefore, by defining the commutator 321 as a universal joint, a robust and precisely moving physical implementation is provided for the independent angle adjustment function of the camera 33. This ensures that, even in the narrow and winding environment of the digestive tract, the camera unit 3 can reliably obtain and maintain a clear surgical field without blind spots, thus providing a visual guidance basis for the independent angle adjustment of the needle holder 2 and precise suturing operations.
[0060] In some embodiments, camera 33 is a wide-angle short-focus camera 33.
[0061] In this embodiment, a wide-angle short-focal-length camera refers to an optical imaging component with a large field of view (wide-angle) and a short focal length (short-focal-length). The wide-angle characteristic allows it to capture a wider range of scenes at the same time; the short-focal-length characteristic means that its optical design is optimized for close-range imaging, enabling it to obtain clear images at closer working distances, and it typically has a large depth of field, meaning that it can maintain image clarity within a certain object distance range.
[0062] Specifically defining camera 33 as a wide-angle, short-focal-length type provides targeted optical assurance for obtaining a suitable surgical field of view in the complex environment of the digestive tract. When operating in narrow and tortuous spaces such as the digestive tract lumen, traditional or ordinary focal length cameras may have a narrow field of view, requiring frequent angle adjustments to cover the surgical area, and have limited near-field depth of field, which can easily cause problems with focus clarity. The wide-angle, short-focal-length camera 33 used in this solution has a wide-angle characteristic that allows a single frame to include a larger range of anatomical structures and operating instruments, reducing the need for frequent and significant adjustments to the camera angle to observe different positions; its short focal length and large depth of field characteristics ensure that when observing at close range near tissue wounds or the tip of the needle holder 23, the main subject of the image and the tissue within a certain range in front of and behind it remain clear, avoiding image blurring caused by slight changes in distance.
[0063] In some embodiments, the camera 33 is provided with a plurality of light source groups 331, which are evenly distributed along the circumference of the camera 33.
[0064] In this embodiment, the camera 33 is equipped with multiple light source groups 331, which are uniformly distributed along the circumference of the camera 33. A light source group 331 refers to a unit consisting of at least one light-emitting element (such as an LED) and its associated light guide or encapsulation structure, used to provide illumination. This technical solution aims to solve the problem of uniform illumination during delicate operations within the digestive tract. In narrow anatomical environments where folds may obstruct the view, unidirectional light source illumination can easily produce heavy shadows behind or to the side of the object being photographed (such as a wound or the tip of a needle holder). These shadows can obscure tissue details or the precise location of instruments, interfering with visual judgment. By setting multiple light source groups 331 and arranging them uniformly along the circumference of the camera 33 lens, light can be simultaneously projected onto the central area of the field of view from multiple different directions. This multi-directional lighting method allows light from different angles to fill the shadow areas produced by a single light source, thereby creating a more uniform, softer illumination effect without significant directional shadows within the field of view of the camera 33. This ensures that every part within the wide field of view captured by the wide-angle short-focus camera 33 is clearly presented under sufficient and uniform lighting. By optimizing lighting conditions, visual misjudgments caused by shadow interference are reduced, allowing the operator to more accurately adjust and align the needle holder 23.
[0065] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a digestive endoscopy suturing system, including the digestive endoscopy needle holder provided in the first aspect of this disclosure.
[0066] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this disclosure, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement it. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not to be limited to the embodiments described herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Claims
1. A needle holder for a digestive endoscope, characterized in that, include: The main body includes a first chamber and a second chamber, which are arranged along the extension direction of the main body. The needle holding part includes a first tube, a first driving member, and a needle holder. The first tube slides through the first chamber and has at least one first deformation section. The first driving member is disposed in the first deformation section. The needle holder is connected to the first driving member, and at least the clamping end of the needle holder protrudes from the first tube. The first driving member is used to drive the clamping angle and clamping action of the needle holder. The camera unit includes a second tube, a second drive member, and a camera. The second tube is slidably disposed in the second chamber and has at least one second deformation section. The second drive member is disposed within the second deformation section, and the camera is connected to the second drive member. The second drive member is used to adjust the illumination angle of the camera.
2. The endoscope needle holder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first deformable portion can extend out of the first chamber, the second deformable portion can extend out of the second chamber, and the second deformable portion is longer than the first deformable portion.
3. The endoscope needle holder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first driving component includes an opening / closing driving component and a rotation driving component. The opening / closing driving component includes an opening / closing push-pull wire and a first knob. One end of the opening / closing push-pull wire is connected to the rotating teeth of the needle holder, and the other end is connected to the first knob. The first knob is used to drive the opening / closing push-pull wire. The rotation driving component includes a fixing component, a connecting component, a first push-pull wire assembly, a second push-pull wire assembly, and a second knob. One end of the first push-pull wire assembly and the second push-pull wire assembly are connected to the fixing component, and the other end is connected to the second knob. The fixing member has a connecting position and a spherical portion. The connecting member has a ball socket. The connecting position and the spherical portion are disposed opposite to each other. The needle holder is connected to the connecting position. The spherical portion is rotatably connected to the ball socket. The second knob is used to apply a force to the fixing member in a first rotational direction by the first push-pull wire assembly, and to apply a force to the fixing member in a second rotational direction by the second push-pull wire assembly.
4. The endoscope needle holder according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a drive handle, which is connected to the main body, and the drive ends of the first drive member and the second drive member are located on the drive handle.
5. The endoscope needle holder according to claim 4, characterized in that, The drive handle includes a connecting body and a handle, the handle being connected to the connecting body. The drive ends of the first drive member and the second drive member are located on the connecting body. The handle and / or the connecting body are provided with an opening and closing trigger; The outer side of the connecting body is provided with multiple control components; The opening and closing trigger is used to drive the needle holder to clamp; The multiple control components respectively control the illumination angle of the camera and the clamping angle of the needle holder.
6. The endoscope needle holder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second driving component includes a commutator, a first push-pull steel wire, a second push-pull steel wire, and a servo motor. The camera is connected to the commutator. The commutator has a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction, which intersect. The servo motor is used to provide the first push-pull steel wire to drive the commutator to swing in the first rotation direction, and the second push-pull steel wire to drive the commutator to swing in the second rotation direction.
7. The endoscope needle holder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reversing component is a universal joint.
8. The endoscope needle holder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The camera is a wide-angle, short-focus camera.
9. The endoscope needle holder according to claim 8, characterized in that, The camera is equipped with multiple light source groups, which are evenly distributed along the circumference of the camera.
10. A digestive endoscopy suturing system, characterized in that, The digestive endoscope needle holder includes any one of claims 1 to 9.