Adjustable Endoscopic Scope Shaft with Inflatable Camera Module
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopic procedures require multiple specialized scopes due to varying bodily openings and lumens, leading to increased costs and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A universal medical scope with an adjustable shaft that can alter its diameter and length, featuring inflatable modules and channels to accommodate different anatomies, and a detachable handle for versatility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple specialized scopes are used for different endoscopic procedures, then the adaptability to different bodily openings and lumens is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent describes a universal scope system with a single handle that can accommodate multiple interchangeable shafts and modules designed for different anatomical regions and procedures. This allows one base unit to perform multiple functions that previously required separate specialized scopes, reducing the total number of devices needed while maintaining adaptability to various bodily openings and lumens.
Solution Approach 2:
The scope system is divided into separable components including the handle, shaft, and distal modules that can be independently selected and combined. This segmentation allows the system to be configured for different procedures by swapping modules rather than using entirely different scopes, thereby reducing complexity while preserving versatility.
2Ease of operation
If the shaft diameter is increased to accommodate larger instruments, then the ease of operation is improved, but the ability to traverse narrow bodily openings deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft incorporates inflatable balloons or expandable sections that can be inflated distally to provide stabilization and improve operability when needed, while remaining deflated and flexible during insertion through narrow openings. This dynamic adjustment allows the shaft to adapt its diameter based on the procedural stage, combining ease of operation with the ability to traverse narrow anatomy.
3Productivity
If the shaft length is increased to reach deeper anatomical structures, then the productivity is improved, but the risk of kinking and looping increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft is constructed with flexible materials and designs that allow it to bend and conform to anatomical pathways without kinking or looping excessively. The shaft may include features such as segmented construction, flexible membranes, or reinforced flexibility zones that maintain structural integrity while enabling navigation through tortuous pathways, thus preserving reliability during extended procedures.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple specialized scopes are maintained in inventory, then the adaptability to different procedures is improved, but the loss of substance and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs reusable components such as the handle and shaft that can be recovered and reused across multiple procedures, with only the distal modules or accessories being exchanged. This recovery and reuse strategy significantly reduces the cost and resource consumption compared to maintaining entire separate scopes for each procedure, while still providing adaptability through module interchangeability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The adjustable shaft allows for cost-effective use in various endoscopic procedures by eliminating the need for multiple scopes, providing optimal dimensions and reducing kinking and looping issues.
Implementation Method 1
inflation of the module alters a viewing angle of the camera relative to an axis of the distal portion of the shaft
Implementation Method 2
the at least one second channel increasingly protrudes radially outwards, relative to an adjacent exterior surface of the body, when inflated from a deflated state
Implementation Method 3
the ring frictionally engages the shaft to inhibit insertion of the shaft past the ring when inserting the shaft into an opening
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device comprising a handle, a shaft extending from the handle, and an inflatable module at a distal portion of the shaft, the module including a camera, wherein the shaft includes a body defining a first channel extending between a first end configured to be in fluid communication with a fluid source, and a second end in fluid communication with the module, and wherein inflation of the module alters a viewing angle of the camera relative to an axis of the distal portion of the shaft.