Minimally Invasive Clamp with Deformable Article for Uniform Tissue Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laparoscopic procedures face challenges in achieving sufficient clamping pressure to cut off circulation without damaging tissues, as existing clamp devices struggle to provide consistent and uniform pressure.
Innovation Solution
A clamp device with an elongate surface member, a biocompatible deformable article, and a flexible band that forms a closed loop, allowing for adjustable tension and inflation to conform to tissue anatomy, ensuring even clamping pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional clamp devices are used to apply clamping pressure, then circulation can be cut off, but the tissue may be damaged due to insufficient pressure distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp device incorporates a deformable article with varying local properties - a harder distal portion for effective clamping and a softer proximal portion for gentle contact. This local quality variation allows the clamp to achieve sufficient clamping pressure while distributing force evenly to prevent tissue damage, directly resolving the contradiction between effective circulation cutoff and tissue preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp device uses a composite structure combining a flexible band with a deformable article made of elastomeric or polymeric materials. This composite design enables the clamp to generate adequate clamping force through the flexible band while the deformable article ensures uniform pressure distribution across the tissue surface, preventing localized damage and achieving both circulation cutoff and tissue protection.
2Force
If conventional clamp devices are used, then circulation can be stopped, but the clamping pressure is not uniform across the tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable article is designed with non-uniform local properties - the distal portion is harder for effective clamping while the proximal portion is softer for gentle contact. This local quality variation ensures uniform pressure distribution across the tissue surface, preventing both insufficient clamping and localized damage, thus resolving the contradiction between achieving adequate pressure and maintaining pressure uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp device incorporates a deformable article that dynamically adapts its shape and pressure distribution based on the tissue anatomy. The deformable material allows the clamp to conform to the tissue surface, ensuring uniform pressure contact across irregular tissue shapes, thereby achieving both effective circulation cutoff and uniform pressure distribution.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the clamp device is made more complex to achieve uniform pressure, then tissue damage is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp device uses a flexible band combined with a deformable article that can be made as a thin-walled structure. This flexible shell approach allows the clamp to achieve uniform pressure distribution through the deformable material's natural compliance, eliminating the need for complex mechanical pressure distribution mechanisms while still preventing tissue damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable article can be designed as a disposable component made from inexpensive elastomeric or polymeric materials. This approach avoids the need for complex, expensive, reusable pressure distribution mechanisms, achieving tissue protection through a simple, single-use deformable element that conforms to tissue anatomy.
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 device effectively cuts off circulation while minimizing tissue damage by providing a uniform and adjustable clamping pressure, suitable for minimally invasive surgeries like laparoscopic procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a biocompatible deformable article that rests on the surface member at the distal end of the surface member
Implementation Method 2
a flexible band that has a proximal end and a distal end, with the distal end of the flexible band connected to the distal end of the surface member
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein is a clamp device that can be used in minimally invasive procedures, including surgeries such as laparoscopic surgeries, for clamping a tissue or an organ or a portion of a tissue or organ. Also provided herein are methods of clamping a tissue or an organ or a portion thereof during minimally invasive surgery using the clamp device provided herein. Also provided are systems for performing a minimally invasive surgery that include the clamp device for minimally invasive surgery provided herein and an injection device configured to access an endoscopic port for the minimally invasive surgery.