Composite Spinal Probe for Tissue Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Spinal surgery is challenging due to the difficulty in observing the penetration of screws into the vertebral body, leading to a high risk of damaging the spinal cord or nerves, with a low success rate and high dependence on surgical experience.
Innovation Solution
A surgical probe with a three-layer composite structure, comprising an outer conductive shell, an inner conductive rod, and an insulating layer, which allows for electrical detection of tissue characteristics to prevent screw misplacement and enhance surgical safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional spinal surgery is performed without real-time tissue detection, then the surgical procedure can be completed quickly, but the risk of damaging spinal cord or nerves increases and surgical success rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The probe is divided into three distinct functional layers: an outer conductive shell for detecting one type of tissue, an inner conductive rod for detecting another type of tissue, and an insulating layer separating them. This segmentation allows simultaneous detection of multiple tissue types through a single probe structure, improving surgical safety without requiring multiple separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The probe employs a composite structure combining conductive materials (outer shell and inner rod) with insulating material (intermediate layer). This composite design enables the probe to perform multiple detection functions simultaneously while maintaining structural integrity and electrical isolation between different conductive elements, resolving the contradiction between enhanced reliability and device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If a probe with multiple detection functions is designed, then tissue identification accuracy improves, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The probe structure implements a nested configuration where the inner conductive rod is positioned within the outer conductive shell, with the insulating layer in between. This nesting approach allows multiple detection elements to be integrated into a single compact probe, improving tissue identification accuracy while simplifying manufacturing compared to assembling multiple separate probes.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating layer is pre-formed with through-holes that guide the positioning of the inner conductive rod during assembly. This preliminary preparation of the insulating structure facilitates accurate alignment and simplifies the overall manufacturing process, reducing complexity despite the multi-component design required for high measurement precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the probe uses a multi-layer composite structure with insulating material, then electrical detection capability is enhanced, but the manufacturing steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process merges multiple operations into integrated steps: the insulating layer is formed with built-in through-holes that simultaneously serve as guides for the inner rod and define the probe's structural geometry. This combining of functions into single manufacturing operations enhances detection versatility while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating layer is designed to be self-positioning during assembly, where its rigid structure with pre-formed through-holes automatically guides the inner conductive rod into correct alignment without requiring additional positioning fixtures or complex assembly procedures. This self-service characteristic maintains high productivity despite the sophisticated multi-layer structure.
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 probe improves surgical safety by allowing for real-time tissue identification, reducing the risk of spinal cord or nerve injury, increasing the success rate of surgery, and reducing psychological pressure on both doctors and patients.
Implementation Method 1
an outer conductive shell (4), an inner conductive rod (5) and an insulating layer (6) disposed between the outer conductive shell (4) and the inner conductive rod (5)
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4A~4B
Figure 5
AI summary
The invention discloses a probe and a method of manufacturing the same. The probe has a long cylindrical shape and includes a probe head(1), a probe body(2) at the rear of the probe head(1), and a probe tail(3) at a rear end of the probe body(2). The probe has a three-layer composite structure. The probe tail is a three-layer composite structure. The probe of the invention is used to detect a body tissue, and according to different electrical signals fed back by different body tissues, a type of the body tissue being detected by the probe can be known, thereby avoiding a medical accident in which a spinal cord or nerve is injured by a screw intruded into a vertebral foramen. The probe of the invention is simple in structure, convenient for use, easy in operation, of high reliability, high surgical safety and high success rate of surgery.