Clamshell Suture Retainer for Robotic Surgical Site Closure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Suture management in robotic surgery is a common barrier to efficient surgical workflow, leading to increased operative times, knotting, fracturing, or accidental cutting of sutures, frustration for surgeons, and higher costs due to longer procedures and potential patient risks.
Innovation Solution
A suturing device with a clamshell body and suture retainer that facilitates efficient suture management, allowing for secure storage and retrieval of sutures within a surgical site using a robotic arm, reducing the need for multiple sutures and minimizing operational expenses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple shorter suture lengths are used to complete a robotic surgical case, then suture management complexity is reduced, but total suture volume and expense increase
Solution Approach 1:
The suture is wound around a cartridge that is inserted into the clamshell body, creating a nested configuration where the suture is contained within the cartridge which is in turn contained within the clamshell body. This nesting allows the suture to be stored in a compact form factor, eliminating the need for multiple separate suture lengths while maintaining manageable length control.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from linear suture storage to three-dimensional wound configuration around a cartridge. By winding the suture around the cartridge in a spiral or circular pattern, the effective storage capacity increases without proportionally increasing the linear dimensions, allowing longer suture lengths to be managed within compact boundaries.
2Ease of operation
If multiple shorter suture lengths are used, then suture control is improved, but operative time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The suture is pre-wound around the cartridge before insertion into the clamshell body, and the cartridge is pre-inserted into the clamshell body. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming suture manipulation and reconfiguration during the surgical procedure, allowing the surgeon to simply advance the suture as needed without stopping to manage multiple separate suture lengths.
Solution Approach 2:
The wound suture configuration around the cartridge provides self-regulating length control. As the suture is advanced through the needle, it unwinds from the cartridge in a controlled manner, automatically providing the needed suture length without requiring external manipulation or intervention to manage multiple separate sutures.
3Quantity of substance
If a long suture length is used, then the number of sutures is reduced, but the risk of knotting, fracturing, or accidental cutting increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nested configuration of suture within cartridge within clamshell body provides protective layers that prevent external forces from acting directly on the suture. The cartridge acts as a protective sleeve that prevents knotting and fracturing, while the organized wound configuration prevents tangling that would otherwise occur with long loose sutures.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture is pre-configured in a controlled wound pattern around the cartridge, which establishes proper tension distribution and alignment before the surgical procedure begins. This preliminary organization prevents the suture from developing knots or weak points during the procedure, maintaining integrity throughout use.
Data Source
AI summary
A suturing device includes a clamshell body having a first side coupled to a second side by a hinge at a hinge end. The first side and the second side each have a cantilevered end opposite the hinge end. The clamshell body is configured to actuate between an open position and a closed position. A suture retainer is positioned within the clamshell body and is configured to receive a suture. An opening is formed in a wall of the second side of the clamshell body.