Elastomeric Cleat Suturing Instrument Needle Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical suturing instruments lack an efficient mechanism for automating the suturing process, particularly in terms of reliably guiding and rotating needles in a circular path, which can lead to instability and deviation during suturing.
Innovation Solution
A surgical suturing instrument featuring a cartridge receiving assembly with a drive rod that acts as both an actuator and rotator, utilizing an elastomeric cleat to stabilize the needle within a single plane and restrict its orbital motion to one angular direction, ensuring precise and stable needle movement along a circular path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a traditional suturing instrument is used, then the structure is simple, but the needle movement stability and precision are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument is divided into distinct functional modules: a cartridge receiving assembly housing, a drive rod mechanism, and an elastomeric cleat component. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system precision without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric cleat acts as an intermediary element between the drive rod and the needle. It provides a compliant interface that ensures stable needle guidance and rotational control during the circular orbital motion, improving precision without requiring complex mechanical linkages.
2Productivity
If manual suturing is performed, then the instrument complexity is low, but the suturing efficiency and automation level are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The drive rod serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the actuator that initiates motion and the rotator that controls the circular orbital path of the needle. This multi-functionality improves suturing efficiency by automating the complex circular motion that would otherwise require multiple separate mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric cleat utilizes the natural elastic properties of elastomeric material to automatically maintain contact with the needle and guide its motion. The material's inherent compliance allows it to self-adjust and stabilize the needle without requiring additional active control mechanisms, thereby improving efficiency without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Reliability
If the needle is not constrained in a single plane, then the device complexity is reduced, but the needle movement stability and reliability are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric cleat provides localized constraint at the critical interaction point between the drive mechanism and the needle. By concentrating the guidance function in this specific component with appropriate material properties, the design achieves reliable single-plane constraint without distributing complexity throughout the entire instrument structure.
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
The solution enhances the precision and stability of needle movement, reducing deviation and facilitating efficient suturing by consolidating functions with a single drive rod and using elastomeric cleats to maintain the needle within a defined orbital path, thereby improving the overall suturing process.
Implementation Method 1
The resilient studs are configured to resiliently bear inwardly against the two separate regions of the outer surface of the needle
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument that has a cartridge receiving assembly, a shaft assembly, and a needle driving cartridge. The cartridge receiving assembly in connected to the shaft assembly. The needle driving cartridge is capable of being inserted into the cartridge receiving assembly. The needle driving cartridge is capable of driving a needle along an orbital path in a single angular direction. The needle driving cartridge includes a body, a curved needle, a needle drive assembly, and a needle guide assembly capable of guiding a needle along the orbital path. The needle guide assembly includes a cleat. The cleat has two needle engagement features. The two needle engagement features are configured to simultaneously engage two separate regions of the outer surface of the needle at the same portion of the length of the needle.