Endoscope Extending Arms and Integrated Instrument Camera
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopes face limitations in providing clear visual and sensory information during minimally-invasive surgeries due to separate optics and medical instruments, making it difficult for surgeons to view and manipulate both devices simultaneously, especially when instruments need to move around body structures.
Innovation Solution
An endoscope with multi-functional extending arms that support cameras, lighting, and sensors, allowing these elements to be mounted and extended from a single portal, providing multiple-angled images and data, along with a medical instrument featuring an integrated image capture device for improved visualization without separate endoscope manipulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate optics and medical instruments are used, then the endoscope can be inserted through a single portal, but it becomes difficult to view and manipulate both devices simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the image capture device with the medical instrument into a single integrated unit. This merging eliminates the need to coordinate separate endoscope and instrument operations, as the instrument itself now provides the visual feedback. The surgeon manipulates one device that both performs the surgical action and captures the visual data, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
2Loss of information
If the endoscope follows the medical instrument to provide adequate images, then visualization is improved, but manipulation and coordination becomes exceedingly difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the image capture device directly onto the medical instrument, the system eliminates the need for the endoscope to follow the instrument's movements. The instrument becomes its own visual guide, providing continuous adequate images of the work area regardless of instrument position. This merger removes the coordination burden of synchronizing two separate devices while maintaining complete visual information availability.
3Loss of information
If multiple cameras and sensors are mounted on extending arms, then multiple-angled images and arena-like lighting are achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extending arms are designed as multi-functional platforms that simultaneously support cameras, lights, and sensors. Rather than requiring separate structures for each sensory element, the arms provide a universal mounting system that achieves complete visual and sensory data collection while reducing overall device complexity through functional integration.
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope and methods of use thereof are provided, which includes at least one multi-functional extending arm supporting a plurality of imaging, lighting and other sensory elements. The arms provide a mounting platform upon which cameras, lights and sensors may be mounted to generate multiple-angled images and video, arena-like lighting and other data for performing a minimally-invasive surgical (MIS) procedure. The arms may be inserted through a single portal in the endoscope and extended outward in multiple directions from the single portal once inserted into a body cavity. The endoscope may also include support arms which support the extending arms within the body cavity and a stabilization plate which anchors the endoscope to an external surface of the body. An endoscopic tool with optical, lighting and other sensors integrated into a functional end is also provided.