Dual Loop Surgical Snare for Internal Suture Tensioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
In minimally invasive surgery (MIS), surgeons often face challenges in tensioning sutures internally for knotting without external assistance, as their hands are occupied with robotic controls or other instruments, and existing techniques require a second surgeon to apply external tension, which diverts their skills and time, or risk unattended internal instruments.
Innovation Solution
A surgical snare assembly with a proximal and distal suture engaging loop, where the handle is directly coupled to the proximal loop and indirectly coupled to the distal loop through a twisted filament, allowing the surgeon to internally tension sutures for knotting without external assistance, enabling the running of additional suture lengths from a separate anchored loop.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single loop snare is used to pull suture ends through a mechanical knot, then the knot can be fastened to hold the suture in place, but a second surgeon is required to apply external tension while the primary surgeon operates internal instruments
Solution Approach 1:
The snare is divided into two separate loops: a proximal loop for engaging the first suture end and a distal loop for engaging the second suture end. This segmentation allows each loop to independently manipulate its respective suture end, enabling the primary surgeon to control both suture ends simultaneously from within the body without requiring external assistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The proximal and distal loops are nested within a single handle assembly, with both loops contained within the same instrument shaft. This nesting allows the surgeon to control both loops through a single external handle while the loops operate independently inside the body, eliminating the need for a second surgeon to provide external tension.
2Ease of operation
If a second surgeon is used to apply external tension during knotting, then suture tensioning is achieved, but the second surgeon's skills and time are diverted from being able to help another patient
Solution Approach 1:
The dual loop snare is designed to be self-sufficient, with both loops contained within a single instrument that can independently tension both suture ends. The primary surgeon can perform both the internal manipulation and external tensioning functions alone, making the system self-service and eliminating the need for a second surgeon to assist with knotting.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a single loop snare is used, then the mechanical knot can be applied to hold the suture, but additional lengths of suture cannot be run from a separate anchored closed loop
Solution Approach 1:
The dual loop snare provides multiple functions: it can engage and tension two separate suture ends simultaneously, it can also engage a single continuous suture to create a closed loop configuration, and it can manipulate additional suture lengths. This multi-functionality allows the same device structure to support various suture configurations including running additional lengths from an anchored closed loop.
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical snare assembly is disclosed. The surgical snare assembly has a suture fastener having an entrance and an exit. The surgical snare assembly also has a proximal suture engaging loop and a distal suture engaging loop. The surgical snare assembly further has a handle coupled to the proximal and distal suture engaging loops, and configured such that: 1) movement of the handle a first distance away from the suture fastener causes the proximal suture engaging loop to move through the suture fastener from the entrance to the exit; and 2) movement of the handle a second distance away from the suture fastener causes the distal suture engaging loop to move through the suture fastener from the entrance to the exit.