Capsular Retractor Handle Assembly for Orientation-Independent Grasping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ophthalmic surgical instruments lack effective means to stabilize and retract the lens capsule during or after cataract surgery, particularly in maintaining the capsular bag's integrity and facilitating the insertion of artificial lenses.
Innovation Solution
A hand-held ophthalmic surgical instrument with an elongated shaft, a hook portion, and a handle assembly featuring angled arms and a stopper, allowing for versatile manipulation and stabilization of the lens capsule by grasping different arms depending on the instrument's orientation, thereby facilitating capsular bag retraction and artificial lens implantation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple handle design is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in grasping and manipulating the instrument at various orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The handle assembly employs asymmetric arm configurations where the first and second arms are positioned at non-parallel angles (e.g., 10-90 degrees) relative to each other and to the longitudinal axis. This asymmetric arrangement allows the instrument to be effectively grasped and manipulated regardless of its rotational orientation, eliminating the need for symmetric designs that would require multiple handle configurations.
2Ease of operation
If multiple arms are added to the handle, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The handle assembly with its angled arms serves multiple functions: it provides grasping surfaces for different finger positions, allows manipulation at various instrument orientations, and maintains structural simplicity. The first and second arms extending at non-parallel angles create a universal interface that works regardless of how the instrument is rotated during surgery, eliminating the need for multiple specialized handles.
3Reliability
If the hook portion extends at an acute angle, then the ability to retract and stabilize the lens capsule is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hook portion is designed to extend at a specific acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and the handle portion extends at an obtuse angle. These angular parameters are optimized to provide effective mechanical leverage for capsule retraction and stabilization. The defined angular relationships create favorable force vectors that enhance the reliability of capsule handling during cataract surgery.
Data Source
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AI summary
A capsular retractor includes an elongated shaft, a hook portion extending from a distal end portion of the elongated shaft, a handle portion extending from a proximal end portion of the elongated shaft, and first and second grasping segments formed with or attached to the handle portion. The grasping segments are configured to be selectively grasped for manipulating the ophthalmic surgical instrument regardless of the rotational orientation of the handle portion.