Endoscopic Closure Device Axial Tissue Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional endoscopic suturing techniques face limitations in closing tears or defects due to restricted movement and positioning, especially when dealing with larger tears or defects, as they require tissue-closing motions perpendicular to the endoscope axis, which can be difficult to align and deploy effectively.
Innovation Solution
A surgical closure device with a grasping member configured for bi-directional movement parallel to the endoscope's longitudinal axis, featuring a housing with a slot and receiving portion, and a tine that engages the receiving portion, allowing for precise closure of tissue tears through an endoscope accessory channel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional endoscopic suturing techniques are used, then tissue closure can be achieved, but the movement and positioning are restricted especially when dealing with larger tears or defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by enabling tissue closing motions parallel to the endoscope axis rather than perpendicular to it. The grasping member moves along the longitudinal axis of the endoscope, allowing the distal end to engage tissue on one side of the tear and the proximal end to engage tissue on the other side, thereby closing the tear through axial movement instead of lateral manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimensional approach by utilizing the longitudinal axis of the endoscope for tissue closure. Instead of relying on lateral or perpendicular movements in the traditional plane, the device exploits the axial dimension provided by the endoscope's length, allowing for greater spanning capability across larger tears while maintaining ease of operation through simple push-pull movements along the axis.
2Reliability
If conventional suturing techniques are used, then tissue can be approximated or fixated, but the procedure becomes more invasive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex suturing mechanism from the endoscope and replaces it with a simpler grasping and pulling mechanism. The device takes out the need for needle threading, knot tying, and complex suture manipulation by using a dedicated grasping member that可以直接 engage and pull tissue edges together, significantly reducing procedure time while maintaining closure effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The grasping member is designed to self-grasp tissue edges when positioned appropriately, eliminating the need for additional manipulation steps. The complementary shapes of the receiving portion and tine automatically engage when the grasping member is pushed into the housing, creating a self-locking mechanism that secures tissue without requiring additional fastening actions.
3Ease of operation
If endoscopic clips are used as an alternative to suturing, then the procedure can be simplified, but the spanning capability and positioning precision are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic positioning capability where the grasping member can be moved independently along the endoscope axis relative to the housing. This allows precise positioning of the tissue-closing element at different locations along the tear, enabling accurate placement while maintaining procedural simplicity. The distal end of the grasping member can be positioned at various points to engage tissue at the optimal location for closure.
Data Source
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AI summary
Surgical closure devices, surgical systems, and methods of endoscopically closing tissue tears are disclosed. The surgical closure device includes a housing and a grasping member. The grasping member is configured for movement relative to the housing. The surgical systems include such a surgical closure device and an endoscope including an insertion tube and a cable. The methods of endoscopically closing a tear in a tissue include passing such a surgical closure device through an endoscope to the tear, engaging a portion of tissue on one side of the tear using the grasping member, positioning the receiving section of the housing on another side of the tear, and moving the grasping member toward the receiving section of the housing and position the grasping member and the receiving portion of the housing in a relatively closed relationship, thereby closing the tear in the tissue.