Angled Burr Suction and Cooling via Segmented Shaft
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional angled high-speed burrs face limitations in speed, causing surgeon fatigue and safety concerns due to increased hand pressure, and suffer from suction clogging issues due to small burr diameters, leading to inefficiencies and additional costs.
Innovation Solution
A surgical device featuring a cutting burr with a flexible/deflectable shaft, an elongated fluted shaft, and an integrated irrigation and suction system, where the sheath diameter is larger than the shaft to accommodate fluid suction and irrigation, reducing friction and clogging, and allowing for higher RPM speeds without excessive pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional angled burrs are used to increase drilling speed, then drilling time is reduced, but surgeon fatigue increases and safety concerns arise due to increased hand pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The burr system is segmented into multiple functional components: a cutting burr portion, a flexible shaft, an elongated fluted shaft, a sheath, and an outer tube. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, with the flexible shaft absorbing torque and reducing the need for surgeon hand pressure while maintaining high drilling speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible shaft acts as an intermediary between the motor and the cutting burr, transmitting rotational motion while absorbing torque through its flexibility. This intermediary component reduces the direct mechanical coupling, thereby decreasing the hand pressure required by the surgeon and reducing fatigue.
2Manufacturing precision
If burr outer sheath diameters are made smaller, then precision is improved, but suction path becomes smaller causing clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The suction function is moved from the burr itself to a separate sheath component that surrounds the burr shaft. This dimensional separation allows the burr to maintain a small diameter for precision while the sheath provides a larger diameter suction path to prevent clogging, effectively solving the contradiction by adding a spatial dimension to the design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is divided into distinct components: the cutting burr and the suction sheath. This segmentation allows the burr to be optimized for precision with a small diameter while the sheath is optimized for suction capacity with a larger diameter, eliminating the trade-off between precision and clogging risk.
3Device complexity
If conventional designs are used, then simplicity is maintained, but multiple limitations and disadvantages arise
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into a single integrated assembly: cutting, cooling, and suction functions are combined in one device. The sheath simultaneously provides structural support, cooling fluid passage, and suction capability, while the flexible shaft integrates torque transmission and shock absorption. This merging improves reliability without significantly increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath component performs multiple functions: it provides structural support for the burr, channels cooling fluid to prevent overheating, and serves as the suction pathway for debris removal. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed while improving overall system reliability and performance.
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
Enables faster cutting with reduced surgeon fatigue, minimizes the risk of burr slippage, and integrates suction and irrigation to prevent clogging, allowing for higher RPM speeds and improved precision while maintaining safety.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible/deflectable shaft, the distal end configured to be connectable to the fluted extension of the cutting burr
Implementation Method 2
The elongated fluted shaft is configured to be connectable to the proximal end of the flexible shaft. The sheath is configured to receive all or portion of the flexible shaft and the elongated fluted shaft
Implementation Method 3
The outer tube is configured to receive the sheath such that there is enough space for fluid irrigation between the outer tube and the sheath
Implementation Method 4
The diameter of the sheath is greater than that of the elongated shaft or the fluted extension of the cutting burr to allow for fluid suction
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a surgical device. The surgical device includes a cutting burr, a flexible/deflectable shaft, an elongated fluted shaft, a sheath, and an outer tube. The cutting burr has a fluted extension. The flexible/deflectable shaft has a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end is configured to be connectable to the fluted extension of the cutting burr. The elongated fluted shaft is configured to be connectable to the proximal end of the flexible shaft. The sheath is configured to receive all or portion of the flexible shaft and the elongated fluted shaft. The outer tube is configured to receive the sheath such that there is enough space for fluid irrigation between the outer tube and the sheath.