Suture Scissor Clamp With Concealed Blades for Narrow Fields
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical instruments lack a combination of clamping and cutting functions, particularly in narrow surgical environments, and do not provide precise distance measurement for suture cutting, increasing the risk of human error and prolonging surgery time.
Innovation Solution
A suture scissor clamp with retractable blades and ergonomic design, allowing for precise cutting and clamping in narrow cavities, featuring a mechanism where blades are concealed until fully closed, and integrated distance measurement for accurate suture cutting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate clamping and cutting instruments are used in narrow surgical fields, then each instrument can be optimized for its specific function, but the number of instruments increases and surgical time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines clamping and cutting functions into a single scissor clamp instrument. The first jaw with clamping surface and the first blade are integrated on the first shank, while the second jaw with clamping surface and the second blade are integrated on the second shank. This allows the surgeon to perform both clamping and cutting operations with one instrument, eliminating the need to switch between separate instruments and thereby improving surgical efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The scissor clamp is designed as a multi-functional instrument that can both clamp tissue/suture and cut suture. The first and second jaws provide clamping surfaces for securing tissue or suture, while the first and second blades provide cutting edges for cutting suture. This universal design allows the single instrument to perform multiple surgical tasks that previously required separate specialized instruments.
2Ease of operation
If blades are exposed during insertion, then cutting function is immediately available, but patient safety is compromised due to risk of accidental cutting
Solution Approach 1:
The first blade is received within the first jaw and the second blade is received within the second jaw when the scissor clamp is in the open position. The blades are nested inside the protective housing of the jaws, which shields them from accidental contact with patient tissue during insertion and positioning. The blades only become exposed when the jaws are deliberately closed together to perform the cutting function.
Solution Approach 2:
The scissor clamp is designed to be inserted with blades concealed within the jaws. The blades are preliminarily positioned in a safe, retracted state during insertion. Only after the instrument is properly positioned does the surgeon close the jaws to expose the blades for their intended cutting function, ensuring safety during the critical insertion phase.
3Device complexity
If distance measurement is not provided, then the instrument structure remains simple, but precision of suture cutting relative to tissue edge is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
A distance indicator acts as an intermediary element between the scissor clamp and the tissue edge. The distance indicator provides visual feedback about the spacing between the clamped tissue edge and the intended cut location. This intermediary measurement system enables precise control of cut distance without requiring complex active sensing or control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A suture scissor clamp has a first and second shanks having a first and second finger rings and connected to a first and second jaws, respectively. The first shank is connected to the second shank by crossing the second shank such that when the first ring and the second ring are moved towards each other, the first jaw and the second jaw move towards each other. A first blade is connected to the first jaw and a second blade connected to the second jaw. The first blade and the second blade are not operable until after the first jaw and the second jaw are brought together. The first blade is inside or about the first jaw and the second blade is inside or about the second jaw. The first blade exits the first jaw towards the second blade and the second blade exits the second jaw towards the first blade when the first jaw and the second jaw are completely brought together and the first ring and the second ring are moved further towards each other.