Brachytherapy Clip With Tissue-Piercing Legs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current brachytherapy systems face challenges in retaining radioactive sources in precise positions relative to the tumor after deployment, leading to potential changes in dose distribution and increased risk of radiation exposure to healthy tissues.
Innovation Solution
A medical clip with tissue-piercing legs and a helical coil structure that supports a radioactive source, allowing for precise placement and retention of the source adjacent to the surgical resection site, thereby maintaining consistent dose distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If radioactive sources are placed in or near cancerous tissue for brachytherapy, then the radiation dose to tumor tissue is maximized, but the precision of source positioning relative to the tumor is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into multiple functional segments: a delivery device for precise insertion, a retention structure with tissue-piercing legs and barbs for secure positioning, and a carrier element for holding the radioactive source. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, thereby achieving both high radiation dose delivery and precise source positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The delivery device is designed to pre-position the retention structure and carrier element in the correct configuration before insertion. The tissue-piercing legs are pre-formed with barbs that will engage tissue upon deployment, ensuring that once the device is in place, the radioactive source is immediately and precisely positioned relative to the tumor without requiring additional adjustment steps.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the radiation source is placed close to the tumor for effective therapy, then the radiation dose to normal tissue is minimized, but the stability of the source position after deployment is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The retention structure and carrier element are merged into a single integrated assembly that is deployed together as one unit. The tissue-piercing legs with barbs are permanently attached to the carrier element, ensuring that once the device pierces the tissue and secures itself, the radioactive source remains stably positioned relative to the tumor without risk of displacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The tissue-piercing legs with barbs act as an intermediary mechanism between the delivery device and the surrounding tissue. These legs pierce the tissue and engage with it through the barbs, creating a stable anchor that holds the carrier element (and thus the radioactive source) in the precise position needed for effective therapy while minimizing radiation exposure to healthy tissue.
3Device complexity
If a simple delivery mechanism is used for source implantation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to retain the source in precise position is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The retention structure is designed to be self-deploying and self-securing. Once the delivery device is inserted and the retention structure is released, the tissue-piercing legs automatically pierce the tissue and the barbs engage to secure the device in place. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex additional deployment mechanisms while ensuring precise source placement through the inherent design of the retention structure.
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 medical clip enables precise and stable placement of radioactive sources, reducing the risk of radiation exposure to healthy tissues and ensuring consistent dose delivery to the target area.
Implementation Method 1
A medical clip with tissue-piercing legs and a helical coil structure that supports a radioactive source
Implementation Method 2
Ionizing radiation is employed in the management of a wide variety of malignant tumors, providing a mechanism whereby the malignancy can be destroyed while the normal tissues are preserved
Data Source
AI summary
A brachytherapy source delivery device includes a first tissue-piercing leg having proximal and distal ends, a second tissue-piercing leg having proximal and distal ends, wherein the proximal ends of the first and second tissue-piercing legs are joined at a span section in a first angular orientation with respect to each other, and a carrier element formed at, or attached to, the span section, the carrier element configured to support a radioactive brachytherapy source. The distal ends of the first and second legs can be curved inward toward each other to pierce a tissue when engaged toward each other into a closed position. The first and second tissue-piercing legs can be formed of a wire having a circular cross-sectional or non-circular cross-sectional shape.