Chest Tube Insertion Device with Real-Time Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chest tube insertion methods lack visualization, leading to potential organ damage during the procedure, as they are performed without viewing the inside of the pleural space.
Innovation Solution
A device equipped with a photographing module that transmits real-time in-vivo images to a mobile device, allowing the operator to guide the chest tube insertion accurately and prevent organ damage by monitoring the procedure through images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chest tube insertion is performed based on operator's sense without visualization, then the insertion procedure can be completed, but organs such as lungs may be damaged during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The photographing module is inserted into the chest tube, creating a nested structure where the imaging device resides within the medical tube. This allows real-time visualization of the insertion process without requiring separate imaging equipment, thereby improving safety while minimizing additional device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The photographing module acts as an intermediary between the operator and the insertion site, transmitting real-time images to the mobile device. This mediator provides visual feedback that enables the operator to monitor organ position and adjust insertion depth, preventing organ damage while maintaining procedural control
2Measurement precision
If photographing module is inserted into chest tube to enable real-time imaging, then accurate depth control and organ protection are achieved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The photographing module serves multiple functions: it provides real-time imaging for depth measurement, monitors organ position to prevent damage, and enables accurate positioning of the chest tube. This multi-functionality justifies the added device complexity by delivering multiple clinical benefits from a single integrated component
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements real-time feedback by continuously transmitting images from the photographing module to the mobile device, allowing the operator to monitor insertion depth and organ position dynamically. This feedback mechanism enables precise depth control and accurate placement while the added complexity is offset by the significant improvement in measurement precision
Data Source
AI summary
A device for inserting a chest tube for thoracoscopy comprises a photographing module that photographs an inside of a subject's body and transmits a photographed in-vivo image to an outside; a chest tube that is formed in a rigid tube shape and in which the photographing module is inserted and installed; a guide part that is coupled to the photographing module and guides the photographing module into the chest tube; a handle module that is coupled to the guide part and moves the guide part and photographing module; and a mobile device that receives data from the photographing module, and searches for and reproduces the in-vivo image photographed by the photographing module in real time.