Electrosurgical Cutting Element Torque Cable Tissue Lifting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transluminal procedures face challenges such as maintaining sterility, preventing fluid spillage, and avoiding injury to surrounding structures during minimally invasive access to body cavities, particularly in procedures like electrosurgical incisions within the gastrointestinal tract.
Innovation Solution
An electrosurgical cutting device with a torque cable and an asymmetrical electrically conductive cutting element that can be rotated and axially moved to lift and incise tissue, reducing the risk of injury to surrounding structures and facilitating controlled access through a minimally invasive approach.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional open surgery or laparoscopic surgery is used, then access to body cavities is achieved, but abdominal incisions and incision related complications occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical cutting instruments with an electrosurgical cutting device that uses electrical energy to incise tissue. The cutting element is made electrically conductive and is energized to cut tissue through electrosurgical principles, eliminating the need for mechanical blades or knives that require physical incisions in the abdominal wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an electrosurgical generator as an intermediary system that delivers electrical energy through the cutting element. This intermediary enables precise tissue incision without direct mechanical contact, allowing access to body cavities through natural orifices or small openings without requiring large abdominal incisions.
2Loss of time
If transluminal procedures are used to eliminate abdominal incisions, then postoperative recovery time is reduced, but providing a suitable conduit and maintaining sterility becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The electrosurgical cutting device is designed to perform multiple functions through a single integrated system. The cutting element can be advanced through various conduits (endoscopes, needles, catheters) and performs both cutting and can sealing functions, eliminating the need for separate specialized instruments for each function and simplifying the overall device requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters by using electrical energy instead of mechanical force for tissue incision. This allows the cutting element to be delivered through flexible conduits and natural orifices without requiring rigid structural support, thereby simplifying conduit requirements while maintaining sterility and reducing recovery time.
3Manufacturing precision
If electrosurgical cutting is used to incise tissue, then precision and control are improved, but risk of injury to surrounding structures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary action by first advancing the cutting element to the target tissue and then activating the electrosurgical current only at the moment of incision. The cutting element can be positioned precisely through the conduit system before energization, and the electrical current is applied only when the element contacts the target tissue, minimizing the risk of injury to surrounding structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces uncontrolled mechanical cutting with controlled electrosurgical cutting. The electrical current is applied only to the cutting element at the precise moment of tissue contact, providing localized energy delivery that incises tissue with precision while minimizing thermal spread and injury to surrounding healthy structures.
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 device effectively incises target tissue while minimizing contact with surrounding structures, reducing the risk of infection and bleeding complications, and enabling precise access to internal organs with improved control and reduced trauma.
Implementation Method 1
a torque cable is provided comprising a plurality of metallic wires helically twisted about the central longitudinal axis of the outer elongate sheath to form a rope-like structure
Implementation Method 2
An electrically conductive cutting element is also provided having a proximal portion attached to the distal end of the torque cable and configured to extend within the lumen of the sheath
Data Source
AI summary
An electrosurgical cutting device and method thereof for incising tissue are disclosed. The electrosurgical cutting device includes an asymmetrical cutting element that is affixed to a distal end of a torque cable. The cutting element is disposed within an end cap and is axially movable between a retracted position and an extended position. Rotation of the torque cable during a procedure allows the cutting element to rotationally align with and hook the target tissue onto the cutting element. An elongate member of the cutting element selectively lifts the target tissue away from surrounding tissue and structures. Having lifted the tissue away the surrounding tissue and structures, incision can occur.