Containment Bag and Tissue Guard for Closed Morcellation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing morcellation procedures for tissue removal through small incisions risk spreading cancerous cells and are contraindicated in cases of malignancy, posing a significant risk to patient safety.
Innovation Solution
A containment bag and tissue guard system made of cut-resistant material are used to enclose and protect the tissue specimen during morcellation, preventing the dispersion of cancerous cells and ensuring safe removal through a body opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional open morcellation is used to reduce tissue size for removal through small incisions, then the tissue can be effectively reduced in size, but cancerous cells may be dispersed and seeded in the patient's body
Solution Approach 1:
A containment bag is introduced as an intermediary device between the morcellation blade and the patient's body cavity. The bag contains the tissue specimen during morcellation, allowing the blade to cut the tissue into smaller pieces while preventing cancerous cells from escaping into the body cavity. The bag serves as a protective barrier that enables safe open morcellation.
Solution Approach 2:
The containment bag is made of flexible material that can be collapsed for insertion through a small incision, then expanded to provide a large working space for morcellation. The flexible shell allows the system to transition from a compact insertion state to an expanded operational state, enabling effective tissue reduction while maintaining containment.
2Reliability
If a containment bag is used to prevent cancer cell dispersion, then patient safety is improved, but the bag may be cut by the morcellation blade causing tissue loss
Solution Approach 1:
A tissue guard is placed inside the containment bag before morcellation begins. The guard is made of cut-resistant material and is positioned to protect the bag from the morcellation blade. This preliminary protective measure ensures that even if the blade contacts the bag, the tissue specimen remains contained and can be safely removed.
Solution Approach 2:
The tissue guard is made of cut-resistant composite material that combines high strength with flexibility. This composite material resists cutting from the morcellation blade while allowing the bag to remain flexible and functional. The composite structure provides both protection and operational capability.
3Length of moving object
If the tissue specimen is large and cannot be removed through the incision, then complete removal is prevented, but reducing the tissue size may cause uncontrolled fragmentation
Solution Approach 1:
The containment bag acts as a controlled environment that allows the morcellation blade to systematically reduce the tissue specimen into manageable pieces. The bag contains the fragmentation process, ensuring that pieces are created in a controlled manner rather than uncontrolled dispersal, enabling complete removal through the incision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static large tissue specimen that cannot be removed to a dynamic state where the tissue is progressively reduced in size through controlled morcellation. The containment bag allows this dynamic size reduction while maintaining containment, enabling the tissue to be transformed into a removable state.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for preventing the seeding of cancerous cells during morcellation of a tissue specimen inside a patient's body and removal of the tissue specimen from inside the patient through a minimally-invasive body opening to outside the patient are provided. One system includes a cut-resistant tissue guard removably insertable into a containment bag. The tissue specimen is isolated and contained within the containment bag and the guard is configured to protect the containment bag and surrounding tissue from incidental contact with sharp instrumentation used during morcellation and extraction of the tissue specimen. The guard is adjustable for easy insertion and removal and configured to securely anchor to the body opening. Protection-focused and containment-based systems for tissue removal are provided that enable minimally invasive procedures to be performed safely and efficiently.