Electrical Ureter Stimulation for Reliable Laparoscopic Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for identifying the ureter during minimally-invasive surgery are unreliable and costly, often leading to ureteral injuries and increased operating room times, and pre-operative ureteral stent placement introduces additional risks and costs.
Innovation Solution
An electrical stimulator that generates a low-level electrical current to stimulate ureteral muscles, causing them to contract and be visually identifiable, eliminating the need for pre-operative stent placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pre-operative ureteral stent placement is used to identify the ureter, then ureter identification reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical stent placement system with an electrical stimulation system. Instead of inserting physical stents into the ureter, the invention uses electrical stimuli delivered through a catheter to trigger peristaltic contractions of the ureteral smooth muscle, making the ureter visually identifiable during surgery without requiring stent placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and parameters of ureteral identification from static (visualizing a stent) to dynamic (observing peristaltic contractions). By applying electrical parameters (voltage, frequency, pulse duration) to stimulate the ureter, the system creates observable motion that identifies the ureter's location and path during surgery.
2Reliability
If pre-operative ureteral stent placement is used to identify the ureter, then ureter identification reliability is improved, but operating time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary electrical stimulation of the ureter during the surgical procedure itself, rather than requiring pre-operative stent placement. The electrical stimulator is introduced through the surgical site and immediately used to identify the ureter, eliminating the separate pre-operative stenting step and reducing total operating time.
3Reliability
If pre-operative ureteral stent placement is used to identify the ureter, then ureter identification reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a disposable electrical stimulator catheter that is inexpensive compared to ureteral stents. The stimulator is a single-use device that delivers electrical pulses through its electrodes and is then discarded, eliminating the need for expensive stent materials and the associated placement and removal procedures.
4Device complexity
If visual compression method is used to identify the ureter, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual compression with an electrical stimulation system. Instead of relying on the surgeon to manually compress and observe the ureter, the electrical stimulator automatically delivers controlled stimuli that produce visible peristaltic contractions, providing more precise and reliable identification without requiring complex manual manipulation.
5Ease of operation
If manual ureter compression is used to identify the ureter, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the ureter self-identifying through its own peristaltic response to electrical stimulation. The ureter's natural smooth muscle contractions are triggered by the electrical stimuli, causing the ureter to move and become visible on its own without requiring the surgeon to manually compress or manipulate it, thereby improving reliability while maintaining ease of operation.
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 electrical stimulator allows for reliable ureter identification, reducing the risk of injury and costs associated with pre-operative stent placement, while shortening operating times and improving surgical precision.
Implementation Method 1
an electrical stimulator which generates a low-level electrical current (preferably but not necessarily in a pulsatile form), such that when the tip of the electrical stimulator is positioned near the ureter, the low-level electrical current provided by the electrical stimulator will cause the ureteral muscles to contract
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for identifying a ureter during a medical procedure, the method comprising: providing an electrical stimulator comprising: a shaft having at least one electrode; and a power supply connected to the at least one electrode for providing an electrical signal to the at least one electrode; advancing the shaft so that the at least one electrode contacts tissue; operating the power supply so that the electrical signal is applied to the tissue; and visually observing the tissue to determine the presence of a ureter in the tissue.