Endoscopic Elevator Grasping Apparatus for Wire Guide Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current endoscopic systems with rigid elevators often damage wire guides and catheters due to tearing, scraping, or stripping, and struggle to maintain proper orientation and fluid flow during procedures.

Innovation Solution

An endoscopic elevator system with a grasping apparatus featuring a polymeric or elastomeric material with ridges or a grasping slot, designed to securely engage and reduce damage to elongate medical devices like wire guides and catheters, while allowing fluid passage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rigid elevator with v-shaped groove or flat edge is used, then the elevator can lock the distal end of wire guide, but the wire guide may be torn, scraped, or damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocking capabilityVSAvoiddamage to wire guide

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The elevator is constructed from flexible polymeric material instead of rigid material, allowing it to conform to and protect the wire guide while maintaining locking capability. The flexible material prevents tearing and scraping of the wire guide surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The elevator uses composite polymeric material that combines flexibility for protection with sufficient structural integrity for locking. This composite approach allows the elevator to secure the wire guide distal end without causing damage to the guide surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Device complexity

If a rigid, flat-edged elevator is used, then the elevator structure is simple, but wire guide orientation is difficult to control

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelevator structureVSAvoidwire guide orientation control

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible polymeric elevator can deform and adapt to the wire guide shape, providing better contact and control surfaces. This flexibility enables improved orientation control while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Strength

If a rigid elevator is used, then the elevator can maintain structural integrity, but it may compress elongate devices such as catheters, preventing fluid passage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidfluid passage capability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible polymeric material allows the elevator to maintain structural integrity for locking while accommodating the passage of elongate devices like catheters. The material can deform to allow fluid flow without compromising the elevator's ability to secure the wire guide.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS7691055B2Endoscopic apparatus having an improved elevator

Publication Date: 2010.04.06 COOK MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

A grasping apparatus for use with an elevator of an endoscope having enhanced grasping features for grasping an elongate medical device is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a body comprising a grasping surface and an opening formed through the grasping surface to receive the elevator. The opening of the body is configured to be disposed about the elevator of the endoscope. The grasping surface is configured to be disposed on the elevator for grasping of the elongate medical device.