Adjustable Utility Conduit for Electrosurgical Handpiece
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrosurgical instruments cause physician fatigue due to the resistance and drag created by power cables and smoke evacuation hoses, which complicates precise movements during procedures, especially in sensitive areas.
Innovation Solution
An electrosurgical instrument with a central cable connection and adjustable channel system allows the cable or hose to exit at various locations along the hand piece, reducing resistance and enabling customization to minimize fatigue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the power cable and smoke evacuation hose are connected to the end of the hand piece, then the electrical connection is simple, but the weight and drag of the cable create resistance that limits physician ability to manipulate the instrument
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the connection system by providing multiple separate connection locations along the hand piece rather than a single end connection. The power cable and smoke evacuation hose can be connected at different positions (proximal end, distal end, or intermediate positions), dividing the overall connection function into separable segments that can be independently positioned to optimize ergonomics while maintaining electrical and functional connections.
2Device complexity
If the cable connection is at one end of the hand piece, then the structure is simple, but the moment-arm effect and drag cause physician fatigue during prolonged procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustability by allowing the cable connection location to be changed during or between procedures. Multiple connection positions are provided along the hand piece, enabling the physician to adjust the connection point to minimize moment-arm effects and drag based on the specific surgical task and hand position, thereby reducing fatigue during prolonged procedures while maintaining simple structural components.
3Ease of manufacture
If the power cable and smoke evacuation hose enter at the opposite end from the electrode tip, then the internal routing is straightforward, but the weight of the cable resists physician movement and reduces precision in sensitive areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different connection locations at specific positions along the hand piece (proximal end, distal end, intermediate positions) rather than uniform connection options. Each location offers different ergonomic characteristics, allowing the physician to select the optimal connection point for precision work in sensitive areas while maintaining straightforward internal routing structures at each location.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrosurgical instrument that reduces the amount of fatigue experienced by a physician performing electrosurgery includes a hand piece with a utility conduit connected to the hand piece at a central portion of the hand piece. The utility conduit can include an electrical cable and a smoke/fluid evacuation hose. The hand piece can include a channel system that receives a portion of the utility conduit therein and allows a physician to adjust the location on the hand piece at which the utility conduit exits the hand piece. Adjusting the location on the hand piece at which the utility conduit exits the hand piece can reduce the resistance to the movement of the electrosurgical instrument created by the weight of the utility conduit, which leads to less fatigue in a physician's hand during electrosurgery.