Articulating Monopolar Knife Shaft for Tortuous Path Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical instruments face difficulties in navigating tortuous paths within the body due to anatomical constraints and equipment limitations, requiring high flexibility, precise control, and articulation capabilities, which are challenging to achieve.

Innovation Solution

A novel medical instrument with a flexible proximal portion and a distal articulating portion, capable of universal articulation, allows for selective rotation and actuation of an end effector from the handle, enabling motions such as longitudinal movement, rotational movement, articulation, and actuation of the end effector, facilitated by articulation cables, rotatable elements, and actuation elements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a medical instrument is made highly flexible to navigate tortuous paths, then the ability to reach internal sites is improved, but precise control from the handle end becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to navigate tortuous pathsVSAvoidprecise control from handle end

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The shaft is divided into multiple articulated segments that can bend relative to each other. Each segment maintains structural integrity while allowing controlled flexion, enabling the instrument to navigate tortuous paths while preserving control from the handle end through the articulated mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The instrument incorporates dynamic articulation capabilities where the shaft can actively bend and adjust its configuration in response to control inputs from the handle end, transforming the static flexible shaft into a dynamically controllable system that adapts to tortuous anatomical paths.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If a medical instrument is made highly flexible to articulate with range of motions, then the ability to perform procedures at internal sites is improved, but the complexity of the instrument structure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearticulation capabilityVSAvoidinstrument structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple articulation mechanisms are nested within the shaft structure, with each articulation segment containing control elements and structural components within the previous segment's envelope. This nested arrangement provides multi-axis articulation capability while maintaining a compact overall structure that does not excessively increase instrument complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS12484955B2Medical instruments for performing minimally-invasive procedures

Publication Date: 2025.12.02 LUMENDI AG

AI summary

Apparatus for performing a minimally-invasive procedure, the apparatus comprising: a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end; a monopolar knife assembly attached to the distal end of the shaft, the monopolar knife assembly comprising a knife; a handle attached to the proximal end of the shaft; wherein the shaft comprises a flexible portion and an articulating portion, wherein the flexible portion extends distally from the handle and the articulating portion extends distally from the flexible portion; wherein at least one articulation cable extends from the handle to the articulating portion, such that when tension is applied to the at least one articulation cable, the articulating portion deflects; wherein an actuation element extends through the shaft from the handle to the knife, such that when the actuation element is moved, the knife is moved; and wherein the actuation element transmits electrical power from the handle to the knife.