Bendable Camera Arm for Thoracic Surgery Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional camera systems for video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) face challenges such as postoperative pain due to incisions, difficulty in visualization, and the need for a dedicated camera operator, which can increase costs and distract the surgical team, while current robotic systems are poorly suited for thoracic surgery due to limited intercostal space.
Innovation Solution
A multifunctional camera system with a bendable arm and high-definition video camera head that allows for adjustable view angles without repositioning, controlled by a surgeon, eliminating the need for a dedicated operator and reducing nerve damage by using a flexible arm that conforms to the thoracic cavity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid camera rod is used for VATS, then the camera can be inserted through small ports, but it causes intercostal nerve damage and postoperative pain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid camera rod with a flexible camera system that can bend and conform to the thoracic cavity anatomy. The flexible camera shaft allows navigation around ribs and sensitive structures without causing nerve damage, while maintaining the ability to reach the surgical field through small ports.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the camera from rigid to flexible, fundamentally altering how the camera interacts with thoracic structures. This parameter change enables the camera to adapt to the anatomical space without imposing mechanical stress on intercostal nerves.
2Ease of operation
If a dedicated camera operator is used, then the camera can be manually manipulated for visualization, but it increases personnel costs and distracts the surgical team
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates automated camera manipulation features that allow the camera to adjust its own position and orientation without requiring a dedicated operator. The flexible camera system can be controlled through integrated mechanisms that enable self-positioning within the thoracic cavity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates camera control capabilities directly into the surgical system, allowing the same device to serve both as the camera platform and the control mechanism, eliminating the need for separate personnel dedicated solely to camera operation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the camera position is fixed, then the camera head position remains stable, but the view angle cannot be adjusted without repositioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustment capabilities to the camera system, allowing the view angle to be changed without moving the camera head position. The flexible camera shaft can be articulated or rotated at the head to change the viewing direction while maintaining the same insertion point and overall position within the thoracic cavity.
Data Source
AI summary
A multifunctional camera system having a bendable arm configured to be inserted into the thoracic cavity of a patient and camera head at a distal end of the bendable arm. The camera head has a high definition video camera and a light source. The camera head has a view adjustment mechanism for changing a view angle of the camera without changing the position of the camera head. A controller controls the view adjustment mechanism under command of a surgeon.