Curved Waveguide Ultrasonic Forceps for Small Cannula Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designing endoscopic forceps that utilize ultrasound for tissue treatment and cutting poses challenges when the instruments need to be configured for use with small cannulas, as existing designs may not efficiently transmit ultrasonic vibrations through smaller access ports.
Innovation Solution
The forceps incorporate a housing with transducers generating mechanical vibrations, a curved waveguide with linear and curvilinear sections, movable members that translate movement to an end effector assembly, and a trigger assembly for controlling jaw movement, allowing for independent axial and rotational movement of the jaw members to facilitate tissue treatment and cutting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the forceps is designed for use with small cannulas, then the invasiveness of the procedure is reduced, but the transmission of ultrasonic vibrations becomes less efficient
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide is designed with a curved configuration including a first curved portion and a second curved portion with different radii of curvature. This curved geometry allows the waveguide to navigate through small cannulas while maintaining effective ultrasonic vibration transmission to the end effector, resolving the contradiction between minimal invasiveness and vibration transmission efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The forceps incorporates movable members that can move relative to the curved waveguide, including axial movement along the waveguide axis and rotational movement about the waveguide axis. This dynamic capability allows the end effector to be positioned and oriented precisely despite the constraints of small cannula access, maintaining surgical effectiveness while using minimal invasive access.
2Reliability
If the waveguide is made straight, then the ultrasonic vibration transmission is efficient, but the ability to navigate through small cannulas is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide incorporates curved portions with specific radii of curvature that enable it to navigate through small cannulas and reach target tissue sites. The curved geometry is optimized to maintain ultrasonic vibration transmission efficiency while adapting to the spatial constraints of minimally invasive access routes.
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide is divided into multiple sections including linear sections and curved portions with different radii of curvature. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized for its specific function - linear sections for efficient vibration transmission and curved portions for navigation - while working together as an integrated system.
3Device complexity
If the end effector assembly is fixed relative to the waveguide, then the device complexity is reduced, but the precision of tissue treatment is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector assembly is made movable relative to the curved waveguide through movable members that enable both axial movement along the waveguide axis and rotational movement about the waveguide axis. This dynamic positioning capability provides precise control over the end effector's position and orientation for accurate tissue treatment while using a relatively simple mechanical mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable members are designed to provide multiple degrees of freedom (axial and rotational movement) using a unified mechanical structure. This multi-functional design allows the same mechanism to handle both positioning and orienting the end effector, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high precision tissue treatment capability.
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
Enables effective transmission of ultrasonic vibrations for tissue treatment and cutting through small cannulas, providing a minimally invasive surgical solution with precise control and efficient energy management.
Implementation Method 1
The housing has one or more transducers configured to generate a mechanical vibration in response to energy transmitted thereto from an energy source. The mechanical vibration may have an ultrasonic frequency.
Implementation Method 2
The curved waveguide extends from the housing and is configured to receive the mechanical vibration generated by the one or more transducers
Implementation Method 3
The one or more movable members are positioned along the curved waveguide and configured to translate mechanical movement from the housing to the end effector assembly
Implementation Method 4
The end effector assembly is disposed at a distal end of the curved waveguide and includes a movable jaw member pivotable between approximated and unapproximated positions relative to a distal end of the curved waveguide
Data Source
AI summary
A forceps includes a housing, a curved waveguide, one or more movable members, and an end effector assembly. The housing includes one or more transducers configured to generate a mechanical vibration in response to energy transmitted thereto from an energy source. The curved waveguide extends from the housing and is configured to receive the mechanical vibration generated by the one or more transducers. The one or more movable members are positioned along the curved waveguide. The one or more movable members are configured to translate mechanical movement from the housing to the end effector assembly. The end effector assembly is disposed at a distal end of the curved waveguide and includes a movable jaw member pivotable between approximated and unapproximated positions relative to a distal end of the curved waveguide in response to movement of the one or more movable members.