Endoscope Guide With Bend and Valve for Precise Cavity Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current endoscope systems have limited range of movement and orientation within a body cavity, restricting the control and accuracy of surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
An endoscopy system comprising an endoscope guide with a lumen, entry and exit ports, and a bend between them, allowing the endoscope to be directed and retained within the body cavity for precise positioning, along with a gas insufflation connector and one-way valve to control gas flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a straight rigid guide is used to introduce the endoscope, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the range of movement and orientation of the endoscope within the body cavity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The guide is divided into multiple sections: a proximal straight section for easy insertion, a mid-section with bends for navigation, and a distal section for positioning. This segmentation allows the guide to maintain simplicity in manufacturing while achieving complex movement capabilities within the body cavity.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide incorporates bendable sections that can dynamically change their configuration during insertion and positioning. These bends allow the guide to adapt to the specific anatomy of the patient while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that is easy to manufacture.
2Ease of operation
If the endoscope is manipulated by moving the endoscope itself or the guide, then the current systems can function, but the control and accuracy of the surgical procedure are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The guide acts as an intermediary device that translates small movements at the proximal end into precise positioning at the distal end within the body cavity. This mechanical leverage improves control and accuracy while maintaining surgical efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide introduces additional degrees of freedom through its bendable sections, allowing manipulation in multiple dimensions. This enables more precise control of the endoscope's orientation and positioning without compromising surgical procedure efficiency.
3Illumination intensity
If gas insufflation is performed during the surgical procedure, then visualization of the body cavity is improved, but gas may escape through the lumen of the endoscope guide
Solution Approach 1:
The one-way valve is designed to allow gas to pass through during insufflation to improve visualization, while simultaneously preventing gas from escaping back through the lumen. This converts the potential harmful effect of gas escape into a beneficial system that maintains both visualization quality and gas containment.
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
Enhances the field of movement and orientation of the endoscope, providing greater control and accuracy during surgical procedures, enabling better access and visualization of body cavities.
Implementation Method 1
the endoscope guide comprises a one-way valve located in the lumen between the at least one entry port and the at least one exit port, wherein the valve is configured so as to prevent gas from passing out of the body cavity through the lumen of the endoscope guide
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscopy system includes an endoscope guide and an endoscope. The endoscope of the system includes a proximal end and a distal end. The endoscope guide of the system includes a proximal end, a mid-section including at least one endoscope entry port, a distal end including at least one endoscope exit port, a lumen, and at least one bend located between the at least one entry port and the at least one exit port. The endoscope guide is capable of directing the insertion of the distal end of the endoscope into a body cavity when the distal end of the endoscope exits the endoscope exit port and the distal end of the endoscope guide is also configured so as to be capable to be retained within the body cavity so as to control the positioning of the distal end of the endoscope within the body cavity.