Endoscope Needle System for Minimally Invasive PEG Placement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for establishing external percutaneous connections to internal organs or bodily lumens, such as PEG tubes, are inefficient and may cause trauma due to the need for external piercing and require complex procedures for device installation.

Innovation Solution

A medical system comprising an endoscope with a needle and safety cap, along with a wire, is used to create a percutaneous fluidic connection by inserting the needle through the skin and stomach wall, allowing for secure placement of medical devices like PEG tubes with reduced trauma and complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If external piercing methods are used to establish percutaneous connections, then access to internal organs is achieved, but tissue trauma and procedural complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetissue traumaVSAvoidprocedural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The needle is disposed within the endoscope lumen, creating a nested configuration where the piercing instrument is contained within the diagnostic instrument. This allows both instruments to be introduced through a single oral route rather than requiring separate external access points, thereby reducing tissue trauma while maintaining procedural control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of introducing the needle from the external abdomen surface toward the stomach (traditional percutaneous approach), the needle is introduced through the mouth, advanced through the esophagus and stomach, and then used to pierce from the inside outward. This inverted approach eliminates the need for external skin incisions and reduces tissue trauma.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Productivity

If traditional PEG tube installation methods are used, then device placement is achieved, but installation time and procedural steps increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation speedVSAvoidprocedural steps
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system combines the endoscope and needle into a single integrated assembly, allowing both diagnostic visualization and therapeutic piercing to be performed simultaneously through the same access route. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate procedural steps and reduces overall installation time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The needle is pre-loaded within the endoscope lumen before patient introduction. This preliminary preparation allows the piercing instrument to be immediately deployed once the endoscope reaches the target location, eliminating the need for separate instrument introductions and reducing procedural steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If needle piercing is performed without internal guidance, then quick access is achieved, but precision and safety decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepiercing precisionVSAvoidprocedural control
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The endoscope serves multiple functions: it provides diagnostic visualization of the stomach interior, guides the needle to the precise target location, and maintains procedural control during piercing. This multi-functional instrument combines the roles of diagnostic tool, guide, and support structure, thereby improving precision while maintaining procedural control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3054867B1Device for external percutaneous connections
Publication Date: 2017.07.19 COOK MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC
  • EP3054867B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3054867B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3054867B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4A

AI summary

The present invention provides devices for creating external percutaneous fluidic connections. In one embodiment, a needle is configured for extending through an endoscope. The needle includes a distal sharp tip and a lumen extending therethrough. The needle extends out of the endoscope within a body cavity to create an incision through a patient's skin. A safety cap is attached over the distal sharp tip without occluding the needle lumen. A wire is inserted through the needle lumen such that it extends from outside the body at the incision, through the body, and outside the body at the patient's mouth. After removing the needle and the endoscope from the body, a PEG device is coupled to the wire at the patient's mouth, and the PEG device is delivered through the upper Gl tract and out through the incision.