Adjustable Support for Small Gauge Surgical Instruments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small gauge surgical instruments used in ophthalmological procedures are excessively flexible, leading to loss of control and imprecision during delicate maneuvers due to their small diameter, making precise repositioning and procedures like peripheral vitreous removal challenging.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an adjustable support mechanism within a base unit that allows varying levels of lateral support for small diameter instruments, using a sliding support frame with rods and an adjustment mechanism to enhance stiffness, ensuring precise control without compromising access to all parts of the vitreous cavity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If smaller diameter instruments are used, then incision size and trauma are reduced, but instrument flexibility increases causing loss of control and imprecision
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument is divided into multiple sections: a flexible small-diameter distal section for surgical operations and a larger proximal section providing structural support. This segmentation allows the distal tip to remain flexible for minimal incisions while the proximal portion provides the rigidity needed for precise control during manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument transitions from a uniform small diameter to a graduated diameter structure, where the diameter increases along the length of the instrument. This dimensional change allows the tip to maintain small size for precise surgical work while the base provides larger diameter for enhanced control and stability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If smaller diameter instruments are used, then patient comfort and healing are improved, but instrument stiffness decreases leading to unwanted flexing
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument shaft is segmented into a flexible distal portion and a rigid proximal portion. The distal portion maintains small diameter for minimal patient trauma, while the proximal portion increases in diameter to provide the necessary stiffness and structural stability to prevent unwanted flexing during surgical manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument employs composite construction with materials of different mechanical properties. The distal section uses more flexible materials suitable for small gauge applications, while the proximal section incorporates stiffer materials to maintain instrument stability and resist flexing, creating a composite structure that balances flexibility and rigidity.
Data Source
AI summary
A small gauge surgical instrument is shown with advantages such as diminished “play” at the tip. A surgical instrument assembly is also shown with support along a length of the instrument that can be selected by the surgeon. Devices and method described provide adjustability of the instrument without protruding into a gripping surface of the instrument.