Directed Fluidics for Urinary Stone Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical procedures for removing urinary stones, such as ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), face challenges with fluid dynamics, where irrigation can displace stones and fragments, making them difficult to remove effectively.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of directed fluidics systems, which involve the controlled administration of irrigation and aspiration through dedicated channels in medical instruments, allowing for adjustable flow rates and directions to facilitate stone removal by stabilizing and guiding fragments towards aspiration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If irrigation is provided into the treatment site through a first fluid channel, then the treatment site is flushed and visual field is maintained, but stones and fragments are displaced making them difficult to remove
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines irrigation and aspiration functions into a single medical instrument with multiple fluid channels. The irrigation channel delivers fluid to maintain visual field, while the aspiration channel simultaneously removes fragments. This merging resolves the contradiction by coordinating both functions in one device rather than using separate instruments that work at cross-purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to detect the presence and position of stones and fragments in real-time, then adjusts the irrigation and aspiration flow rates dynamically. When fragments are detected near the aspiration tip, the system increases aspiration strength and modulates irrigation to prevent displacement, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to the procedural state.
2Productivity
If aspiration is provided through a second medical instrument, then fragments can be removed from the treatment site, but the procedural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates both irrigation and aspiration capabilities into a single multi-channel medical instrument. The first fluid channel provides irrigation while the second fluid channel provides aspiration, both through the same instrument body. This eliminates the need for separate irrigation and aspiration instruments, reducing procedural complexity while maintaining fragment removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The medical instrument is designed with multiple functions: it can provide irrigation through the first fluid channel, aspiration through the second fluid channel, and both simultaneously. This multi-functional design replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate instruments, simplifying the procedure while maintaining all necessary capabilities.
3Productivity
If flow rate of irrigation and aspiration is increased, then stone fragments are removed faster, but stones are displaced and visual field is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs sensors to detect stone position and fragment presence in real-time, then dynamically adjusts irrigation and aspiration flow rates. When a stone is detected, the system reduces irrigation flow to prevent displacement. When fragments are present near the aspiration tip, the system increases aspiration strength. This closed-loop control enables high-speed fragment removal while maintaining stone stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The irrigation and aspiration flow rates are made dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The system can switch between different flow rate combinations based on procedural needs: low irrigation/high aspiration for stone stabilization, or balanced flows for fragment removal. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between removal speed and stone stability.
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
Directed fluidics enhances the efficiency of stone removal by maintaining clear visual fields, stabilizing stones during lithotripsy, and facilitating the aspiration of fragments, thereby reducing procedural complexity and time.
Implementation Method 1
providing irrigation into the treatment site through the first fluid channel of the first medical instrument
Implementation Method 2
providing aspiration from the treatment site through the second fluid channel of the first medical instrument
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for administering directed fluidics during a medical procedure for removing an object are disclosed. A method includes inserting first and second medical instruments into a treatment site, providing irrigation and aspiration of the treatment site through the first and second medical instruments, determining a characteristic of one of the irrigation and the aspiration, and selecting a characteristic of the other of the irrigation and aspiration based on the determined characteristic.