Colon Pleating Apparatus for Endoluminal Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for endoluminal access, such as colonoscopy, face challenges in advancing instruments through the colon due to its soft and weakly adhered nature, leading to patient discomfort and incomplete examinations, as they require significant skill and experience to effectively pleat the colon for instrument advancement.

Innovation Solution

The development of pleating apparatus and methods that engage the colon lumen wall to compress and shorten it in an accordion-like fashion over an endoscope or device, using external sheaths, engagement catheters, and expandable structures to facilitate easier access and reduce the need for complex maneuvering techniques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional colonoscope advancement methods are used, then the colonoscope can be advanced into the colon, but the procedure requires significant skill and experience, and fails in 10-15% of cases due to patient discomfort and colon injury

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesuccess rate of colonoscopyVSAvoidskill requirement for endoscopist

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pleating apparatus performs preliminary pleating of the colon before colonoscope advancement, creating accordion-like folds that facilitate easier instrument passage through bends and flexures, thereby reducing the skill requirement and improving success rate

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pleating apparatus acts as an intermediary device between the endoscopist and the colonoscope, providing mechanical assistance to navigate the soft, weakly adhered colon by creating pleats that guide the colonoscope through difficult segments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Speed

If force is applied to advance the colonoscope through bends, then the colonoscope can be pushed forward, but this causes patient pain, cramp-like contractions, and risk of injury to the soft colon wall

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadvancement rate of colonoscopeVSAvoidpatient discomfort and colon injury

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The pleating apparatus creates pleats in the colon wall before colonoscope advancement, preparing the path ahead and allowing the colonoscope to pass through bends without requiring forceful pushing, thereby eliminating patient pain and injury risk

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of pushing the colonoscope forward through resistance, the pleating apparatus pulls the colon wall backward to create folds, reversing the traditional approach of forceful advancement and enabling smooth passage without patient discomfort

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the colon is soft and weakly adhered to the abdomen, then the colon is flexible and compliant, but this prevents effective force application for advancing the colonoscope through bends

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolon flexibilityVSAvoidforce application for advancement

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The pleating apparatus serves as a mediator that converts the colon's natural flexibility into a useful feature by creating controlled pleats, transforming the soft, compliant tissue from a barrier to an asset that facilitates instrument advancement without requiring external force

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS7955253B2Apparatus and methods for achieving endoluminal access

Publication Date: 2011.06.07 USGI MEDICAL INC

AI summary

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for pleating at least a portion of a patient's body lumen, such as the colon. Pleating is achieved via relative motion between an endoscope and a flexible conduit having an engagement element configured to reversibly engage the body lumen.