Bayonet Forceps with Resilient Arms for Paddle Electrode Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical instruments, such as conventional bayonet forceps, are inadequate for precisely positioning paddle electrodes in spinal stimulation procedures, as they fail to firmly grip the electrodes and guide them accurately, leading to potential dislocation and suboptimal stimulation of the target area.
Innovation Solution
A specialized bayonet forceps design featuring flexibly resilient arms with jaws that can grip the paddle electrode's side edges and guide its leads, allowing for precise manipulation and insertion through minimally invasive incisions, ensuring secure engagement and alignment during spinal stimulation procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional bayonet forceps are used to grasp the paddle electrode, then the instrument can be used for electrode manipulation, but the forceps cannot firmly grip the electrode sides, allowing the electrode to twist during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The forceps jaws are designed with grooves that specifically match the geometry of the paddle electrode sides, creating localized contact points that prevent twisting while maintaining firm grip. The grooves are positioned and shaped to engage specific features of the electrode, providing reliable control without requiring excessive force.
2Length of moving object
If the paddle electrode is flexed to slide through the laminectomy opening, then the electrode can be inserted through minimally invasive incisions, but the electrode may dislocate dorsally during manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The forceps are designed to pre-align the paddle electrode in the correct orientation before insertion, with the jaws positioned to maintain proper alignment during the entire insertion process. The guide structure预先 (in advance) establishes the correct trajectory, preventing dorsal dislocation before it can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The forceps act as an intermediary device between the surgeon's hands and the paddle electrode, providing mechanical guidance and constraint. The guide structure serves as a mediator that translates the surgeon's manipulation into precise electrode placement, preventing dislocation while enabling minimally invasive insertion.
3Reliability
If a full laminectomy is performed to expose the target area, then the electrode can be securely positioned, but surgical time and tissue dissection increase
Solution Approach 1:
The forceps with integrated guide structure provide self-aligning capabilities, where the guide automatically directs the electrode into the correct position without requiring extensive surgical exposure. The instrument's geometry itself performs the alignment function, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual positioning and reducing the extent of laminectomy required.
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 specialized bayonet forceps enable secure gripping and precise guidance of paddle electrodes, reducing the risk of dislocation and improving the effectiveness of spinal stimulation by allowing for accurate placement and alignment within the target area, thereby enhancing surgical outcomes and minimizing post-operative complications.
Implementation Method 1
The pair of arms is capable of being flexed to reduce the gap separating the jaws sufficiently to engage the jaws with the side edges of the paddle electrode to grip the paddle electrode. The pair of arms is sufficiently resilient to return the arms to a released configuration
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument for positioning a paddle electrode. The instrument includes a pair of flexibly resilient arms operatively coupled at their user ends. Each arm extends along a rearward section from its user end to an intermediate section extending obliquely upward to a forward section extending obliquely downward relative to the intermediate section. The instrument includes a jaw formed adjacent to a working end of each arm and a guide located along the forward section of each arm. The jaws are separated by a gap that is larger than a distance between the side edges of the electrode when the arms are unflexed. The arms are capable of flexing sufficiently to engage the jaws with the side edges of the paddle electrode and sufficiently resilient to return to a released configuration in which the gap is larger than the distance between the opposite side edges of the electrode.