Surgical Retractor Coplanar Conduits for Visibility
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical retractors with integrated illumination and suction features often increase in size, which can impair a medical practitioner's ability to visualize the surgical site, especially during procedures involving small incisions.
Innovation Solution
A surgical retractor design featuring an elongated shaft with a suction conduit and a light conduit that are substantially coplanar, allowing for simultaneous suction and illumination while minimizing the device's height, thereby improving visibility during procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If illumination and suction features are integrated into the surgical retractor, then functional capability is improved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical waveguide is positioned within the light conduit, and both the light conduit and suction conduit are nested within the elongated shaft's internal chamber. This nested arrangement allows multiple functional components to occupy the same spatial envelope, providing illumination and suction capabilities without proportionally increasing the overall device volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction conduit and light conduit are arranged in a substantially coplanar configuration within the internal chamber, utilizing lateral positioning rather than vertical stacking. This dimensional arrangement minimizes the height of the device while accommodating both functional conduits, thereby reducing the impact on device size compared to traditional stacked arrangements.
2Illumination intensity
If the device height is minimized for better visualization, then visibility is improved, but space for conduits is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By arranging the suction conduit and light conduit in a substantially coplanar lateral configuration rather than a vertical stacked arrangement, the design utilizes the lateral dimensions of the internal chamber to accommodate both conduits. This approach minimizes the height dimension while providing sufficient space for both functional conduits, thereby maintaining visibility without compromising conduit space.
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 design enables effective tissue retraction, illumination, and suction without increasing the device's height, thereby enhancing the medical practitioner's visibility and operational efficiency during surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The surgical retractor also includes an optical waveguide in the light conduit of the elongated shaft
Implementation Method 2
applying suction using the suction conduit to evacuate one or more substances from the surgical site
Data Source
AI summary
In an example, a surgical retractor includes an elongated shaft extending from a first end to a second end, and a retractor blade extending from the second end of the elongated shaft. The elongated shaft defines an internal chamber. The elongated shaft includes a handle portion at the first end of the elongated shaft, a suction conduit in a first lateral portion of the internal chamber, and a light conduit in a second lateral portion of the internal chamber. The suction conduit extends from a suction port at the first end to a suction aperture at the second end. The light conduit extends from a light-input port at the first end to a light aperture at the second end. The suction conduit and the light conduit are substantially coplanar. The surgical retractor also includes an optical waveguide in the light conduit of the elongated shaft.