Automated Instrument Replacement Apparatus for Minimally Invasive Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current minimally invasive procedures require manual instrument changes, leading to inefficiencies, increased risk of contamination, and exposure to radiation due to the need for healthcare professionals to repeatedly enter and exit sterile environments.
Innovation Solution
An automated apparatus with a housing, outlet element, selection unit, guide element, and graphical user interface enables remote-controlled and automated instrument replacement, utilizing a control module for magnetic navigation and including features like a retracting device and tip shaping module to facilitate sterile and efficient instrument swapping and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual instrument changes are performed, then the procedure can be completed with simple equipment, but the treatment time increases and contamination risk rises
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument replacement system is segmented into independent modules: instrument storage compartments, automated selection unit, guide element for positioning, and outlet element for delivery. This segmentation allows simultaneous preparation of multiple instruments while one is in use, enabling rapid replacement without manual intervention and reducing total procedure time.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple instruments are pre-loaded into the housing and pre-positioned on the guide element before the procedure begins. The selection unit prepares instruments in advance, so when replacement is needed, the next instrument is already ready for immediate deployment, eliminating delays associated with manual retrieval and preparation.
2Reliability
If manual instrument changes are performed, then equipment complexity remains low, but sterility maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument retrieval and replacement functions are extracted from the sterile field and relocated to an external automated housing system. The housing remains outside the sterile boundary, with only the outlet element and guide element penetrating into the sterile field. This extraction eliminates the need for healthcare professionals to repeatedly enter and exit the sterile environment, maintaining sterility while accepting the complexity of the automated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide element acts as an intermediary between the external housing and the sterile field. It provides a controlled interface through which instruments are transferred automatically, maintaining the sterile barrier while enabling instrument replacement. The graphical user interface serves as another intermediary, allowing remote control of the replacement process without physical contact with the sterile field.
3Ease of operation
If healthcare professionals repeatedly enter sterile environments for instrument changes, then direct control is maintained, but radiation exposure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated selection unit and replacement mechanism perform the instrument change function independently without requiring human presence in the examination room. The system monitors and controls instruments through the graphical user interface, enabling self-service operation that maintains full control capability while eliminating radiation exposure for the healthcare professional.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical operation of instrument retrieval and replacement is substituted with an automated control system. The selection unit uses automated mechanisms to retrieve instruments from storage, position them on the guide element, and deliver them through the outlet element. This mechanical substitution allows complete instrument control to be maintained through the graphical user interface while the healthcare professional remains outside the radiation field.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an apparatus for automatic replacement of instruments during minimally invasive procedures, comprising a housing, an outlet element for an instrument, a selection unit and a guide element.