Curved Needle Suturing Device With Compound Pivot
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for an endoscopic suture device that can direct a curved needle through tissue using a 'throw-and-catch' mechanism, allowing it to follow the natural curvature of the needle and operate through a catheter or trocar, which is not currently available in commercially available devices.
Innovation Solution
A suturing instrument with a curved needle and a suture staging area, where a compound pivot or channel moves the needle out of a lumen to hook a suture and then pulls it back into the lumen, using a linear movement of an actuator to translate into rotational movement, allowing the needle to follow its natural curvature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a curved needle is used to follow the natural curvature of tissue, then the suturing precision and tissue trauma are improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for specialized guiding mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional modules: a curved needle module, a suture staging area, a compound pivot mechanism, and an actuator system. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function while maintaining overall system precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The compound pivot acts as an intermediary mechanism that translates linear actuator movement into the complex curved path required by the needle. This mediator component enables precise curved suturing without requiring the entire device to be complex, as only the pivot mechanism needs to handle the curvature transformation.
2Productivity
If a throw-and-catch mechanism is implemented for curved needle suturing, then the suturing efficiency is improved, but the ease of operation decreases due to the complex coordination required
Solution Approach 1:
The suture is pre-positioned in the suture staging area before the needle reaches it. The compound pivot is pre-configured with the correct curvature radius. This preliminary preparation allows the throw-and-catch action to execute quickly and efficiently without requiring complex real-time coordination during the actual suturing moment.
Solution Approach 2:
The compound pivot provides dynamic movement capability, allowing the needle to follow a curved path while the suture staging area can be independently positioned. This dynamic configuration enables the throw-and-catch mechanism to operate smoothly with reduced coordination complexity, as the system can adapt its configuration during operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the needle is moved through a lumen in a catheter or trocar, then the adaptability for minimally invasive surgery is improved, but the manufacturing precision decreases due to constraints on needle curvature and movement
Solution Approach 1:
The curved needle is nested within the lumen of the catheter or trocar during storage and insertion. The compound pivot mechanism is nested within the device body. This nesting arrangement allows the device to pass through small incisions while maintaining the ability to deploy the curved needle along its full curvature path for precise suturing once positioned.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from a one-dimensional linear configuration during insertion through the lumen to a two-dimensional or three-dimensional curved configuration during operation. The compound pivot enables this dimensional transformation, allowing the needle to exit the lumen and follow a curved path in space, thereby maintaining precision while achieving adaptability for minimally invasive access.
Data Source
AI summary
A suturing instrument using a curved needle is presented. The suturing instrument includes an elongated body, which has a lumen at its distal end. The suturing device also includes a curved needle which has a hook at its distal end to capture a suture from a suture staging area coupled with the suture. The rotational movement of the curved needle can be operated by a linear movement of a controlling element via a compound pivots that are configured to move the needles out from the lumen, couple the needle to the suture, and pull the suture away back toward the lumen.