Anti-seeding Arrangement for Minimally Invasive Tissue Denaturation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing minimally invasive medical procedures for cancer treatment and diagnosis, such as radio frequency ablation and biopsy, face challenges with tumor cell seeding along the instrument track due to incomplete tissue denaturation and manual operation inefficiencies, leading to potential tumor growth and increased treatment time.
Innovation Solution
An anti-seeding arrangement featuring an elongated hollow member with a sensing mechanism and electromagnetic field generator that delivers controlled radio frequency bursts based on sensed physical properties, ensuring rapid and complete denaturation of tissue surrounding the electrode, reducing the risk of cell seeding and bleeding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If radio frequency ablation is used to treat tumours, then thermal destruction of tumour cells is achieved, but incomplete tissue denaturation occurs leading to tumor cell seeding along the instrument track
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic radio frequency bursts rather than continuous energy delivery. The control unit activates the electromagnetic field generator in periodic bursts, creating alternating periods of energy delivery and rest. This periodic action allows the tissue to cool between bursts while maintaining cumulative thermal damage, achieving complete denaturation without excessive heat buildup that would cause unwanted tissue destruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates sensing means that detect physical properties of the tissue and instrument position, feeding this information back to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit adjusts the timing and intensity of radio frequency bursts, ensuring complete denaturation of the instrument track while minimizing overall tissue disturbance. The feedback mechanism allows real-time optimization of the anti-seeding effect.
2Productivity
If manual operation is used for minimally invasive procedures, then device simplicity is maintained, but procedure time increases and precision is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through automated control of the radio frequency delivery system. The control unit automatically manages the electromagnetic field generator based on feedback from sensing means, eliminating the need for manual adjustment during the procedure. The system self-regulates the energy delivery parameters, optimizing anti-seeding effectiveness without requiring operator intervention, thereby increasing procedure speed and precision.
3Reliability
If continuous radio frequency energy is applied, then complete tissue denaturation is achieved, but excessive heat causes tissue damage and increases procedure time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic radio frequency bursts separated by rest intervals. During the burst phases, energy is delivered to denature tissue; during the rest phases, the field is turned off allowing heat to dissipate. This periodic action accumulates sufficient thermal damage for complete denaturation while preventing excessive temperature buildup that would cause tissue destruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies radio frequency energy in controlled bursts that preliminarily denature the instrument track before the needle is withdrawn. This preliminary action ensures the track is sealed and anti-seeding is achieved before the procedure concludes, eliminating the need for continuous high-energy application that would cause excessive heating.
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 solution enables rapid, efficient, and complete denaturation of tissue with minimal tissue disturbance, reducing the risk of tumor seeding and bleeding, and allowing for faster, more precise procedures without the need for manual intervention.
Implementation Method 1
The high current density at the needle generates heat in the tissue, causing thermal destruction and/or denaturation of said tissue
Implementation Method 2
sensing means arranged to sense a physical property of the arrangement, which physical property is being dependent on at least of the insertion length of the elongated hollow member in the human or animal body
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an anti-seeding arrangement (100) for invasive treatment of a human or animal body comprising an elongated hollow member (102), and a first electrode (116) of which one portion is arranged near one end of the elongated hollow member (102), said first electrode (116) being connectable to an electromagnetic field generator (110), wherein the elongated hollow member (102) is arranged to be inserted into the human or animal body, control means (106, 108) arranged to control the electromagnetic field generator (110) for delivering radio frequency bursts to the first electrode (116), and sensing means (104) to sense a physical property dependent on the insertion length of the elongated hollow member (102) in the human or animal body, and wherein the control means (106, 108) is arranged to control the operation of the electromagnetic field generator (110) in dependence of the sensed physical property.