Endoscope Working Channel Protection Against Instrument Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopes' working channels are prone to mechanical and thermal damage from instruments passed through them, leading to wear, contamination, and reduced lifespan, especially when instruments like lasers are used, causing debris and shavings to contaminate anatomy or samples.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating protecting features such as stoppers, capacitors, and protective segments within the working channels to prevent damage by restricting contact between instruments and channel walls, ensuring proper instrument positioning, and using materials with high thermal conductivity to absorb laser energy, thereby reducing wear and extending the lifespan of the endoscope.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If endoscopic instruments are passed through the working channel during medical procedures, then the working channel enables instrument transmission and surgical functionality, but mechanical contact between instruments and channel walls causes scratching, gouging, and denting that damages the working channel
Solution Approach 1:
A protective coating is applied to the inner walls of the working channel to serve as an intermediary layer between the endoscopic instrument and the channel wall. This coating prevents direct mechanical contact, eliminating scratching, gouging, and denting while still allowing smooth instrument passage through the channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective coating forms a thin film lining the working channel interior. This flexible thin film conforms to the channel geometry and provides continuous protection against mechanical damage from instruments being inserted, removed, or manipulated within the channel.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the insertion tube is in a bent state during procedures, then the endoscope can navigate anatomical structures, but bending exacerbates contact between instruments and working channel walls causing increased damage
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating acts as a mediator that remains effective even when the working channel is bent. It prevents direct contact between instruments and the channel wall during flexion, eliminating the exacerbating effect of bending on mechanical damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective coating changes the surface properties of the working channel, creating a low-friction, damage-resistant interface that maintains its protective function regardless of the channel's geometric configuration or bending state.
3Ease of operation
If instruments are moved, reciprocated, and operated within the working channel, then surgical procedures can be performed, but these movements cause shavings and debris to separate from the working channel contaminating anatomy and samples
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating serves as a mediator that prevents direct mechanical interaction between instruments and the working channel wall during movement and operation. This eliminates the generation of shavings and debris, keeping the channel clean and preventing contamination of anatomy or tissue samples.
4Ease of operation
If laser is operated when not fully inserted through the working channel, then premature laser operation may occur, but thermal damage to the working channel or insertion tube occurs when laser wavelength contacts the channel
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating acts as a thermal intermediary that absorbs or dissipates laser energy that contacts the working channel wall. This prevents the laser wavelength from causing thermal damage to the insertion tube, even if the laser is operated prematurely before full insertion.
5Duration of action of stationary object
If protecting features are added to the working channel, then mechanical and thermal damage is reduced extending lifespan, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating provides comprehensive protection against mechanical and thermal damage as a thin film applied to the working channel interior. This simple coating approach extends insertion tube lifespan without significantly increasing device complexity, as it requires only the coating application process rather than additional structural components.
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 protecting features effectively minimize mechanical and thermal damage, prevent contamination, and ensure accurate instrument positioning, thereby extending the lifespan of the endoscope and maintaining the integrity of anatomical samples.
Implementation Method 1
the protecting feature includes capacitors that can detect a position of the endoscopic instrument in the working channel
Implementation Method 2
using materials with high thermal conductivity to absorb laser energy, thereby reducing wear and extending the lifespan of the endoscope
Data Source
Figure 1~2b
Figure 2c~2d
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An endoscope including an insertion tube, a working, channel located within the insertion tube, and a protecting feature disposed within at least a portion, of the working channel The. protecting feature may be adapted to protect the working -channel from thermal damage and/or from mechanical damage caused by a medical instrument located in the working channel. The protecting feature may be adapted to determine presence or absence of a. medical kstrumeat within the working channel, arid/or a location of the medical instrument within the working channel