Automated Cranial Burr Hole Device with Hemorrhage Sensors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for devices and methods that can effectively create burr holes in the cranium to relieve intracranial pressure and visualize/localize intracranial pathology, particularly in emergency situations where resources and expertise may be limited.
Innovation Solution
The development of an intracranial access device that includes a housing with sensors for hemorrhage detection, a drill for creating burr holes, and a retractor for scalp incision, along with a sealing mechanism to maintain sterility and reduce infection risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual burr hole creation is performed in resource-constrained environments, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (drilling, retraction, sealing, hemorrhage detection) into a single integrated intracranial access device. This merging allows the device to maintain high manufacturing precision through automated guidance while remaining relatively simple in structure, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates automated features such as self-guided drilling through sensor feedback, automatic scalp retraction, and self-sealing mechanisms. These self-service capabilities enable precise burr hole creation without requiring complex external guidance systems or highly skilled operators, thus maintaining manufacturing precision while limiting device complexity.
2Reliability
If automated intracranial access device is used, then manufacturing precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional modules: a drill component for burr hole creation, a retractor component for scalp management, a sealing component for infection prevention, and sensor components for hemorrhage detection. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized for its specific function, improving overall reliability while keeping the total device complexity manageable through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The intracranial access device is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: drilling burr holes, retracting scalp tissue, sealing the access site, and detecting hemorrhage. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate devices into one unit, improving reliability without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Productivity
If multiple functional components are integrated, then productivity and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges drilling, retraction, sealing, and detection functions into a single integrated device that can perform all operations during one intracranial access procedure. This eliminates the need for multiple separate devices and sequential operations, significantly improving productivity while the modular architecture keeps complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs preliminary actions automatically: the retractor prepares the scalp path before drilling, sensors pre-identify hemorrhage locations, and the sealing mechanism is pre-positioned for immediate activation. These preliminary actions streamline the overall procedure, improving productivity without requiring complex real-time decision-making during the critical drilling phase.
4Reliability
If sealing mechanism is added, then reliability is improved by reducing infection risk, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing mechanism utilizes a thin film or membrane structure that can be integrated into the device housing or applied to the burr hole site. This flexible sealing approach provides effective infection prevention while adding minimal structural complexity compared to rigid sealing systems. The thin film can conform to the irregular geometry of the burr hole, ensuring reliable sealing without complex adaptation mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An intracranial access device includes a housing having an operator-facing side and a patient-facing side and an opening therethrough extending from the operator-facing side to the patient-facing side. The device further includes at least one fastener configured to secure the device to a cranium of a patient. The device further includes a drill mounted to a surface of the housing and a cauterizer. The device may further include a number of sensors arranged on the patient-facing side of the housing and configured to identify a hemorrhage location.