Endoscopic Retrieval Device with Polygon Loop for Foreign Object Capture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopic retrieval devices are not well-suited for capturing rounded or blunt foreign objects like coins and marbles, and may fail when used near the trachea, posing risks during medical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A retrieval device with a structurally simpler and more reliable design, featuring a collapsible and expandable net secured by a tether or anchor at a more proximal location, and a loop that forms a polygon shape to maintain its shape and resist collapse, allowing for secure capture of objects in tight spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional forceps or clasps are used to grab objects, then the device structure remains simple, but the device fails to securely capture rounded or blunt foreign objects like coins and marbles
Solution Approach 1:
The net is designed to be dynamically deployable from a compressed configuration to an expanded capture configuration. The net transitions from a compact state during insertion to an expanded state for capturing objects, allowing adaptability to different object shapes while maintaining a relatively simple stored structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The net comprises flexible strands or wires formed into a mesh pattern that can conform to and secure rounded or blunt objects. The flexible nature of the net allows it to adapt to various object geometries including coins and marbles, which rigid forceps cannot effectively capture.
2Reliability
If the net is secured at a distal location relative to the handle, then the device complexity is reduced, but the net may tear or fail when used near the trachea or in tight spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The net is pre-secured to the loop at multiple locations including distal, intermediate, and proximal positions before deployment. This preliminary multi-point attachment ensures the net is properly supported and distributed along the loop structure, preventing tearing during use in critical areas like the trachea.
Solution Approach 2:
The loop structure serves as a rigid support framework that cushions and distributes the mechanical loads on the net. By securing the net to this supportive loop structure at multiple points, the system provides beforehand protection against net failure under stress during retrieval operations.
3Ease of operation
If the loop is allowed to collapse during retrieval, then the device complexity is reduced, but the device loses control and stability in narrow passages like the esophagus
Solution Approach 1:
The loop is formed from a wire with asymmetric cross-sectional properties that provide structural rigidity in the radial direction while allowing controlled deployment. This asymmetric wire structure maintains loop shape stability in narrow passages without requiring excessive complexity in the overall device design.
Solution Approach 2:
The loop is formed into a curved or polygonal configuration that provides inherent structural stability. The curved geometry of the loop resists collapse while allowing the net to expand outward for capturing objects, providing control and stability in narrow anatomical passages.
4Reliability
If multiple connectors are placed within the articulation zone, then the net support is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components in the severe bending zone
Solution Approach 1:
The net support function is merged with the loop structure itself. The loop serves both as the structural framework and as the attachment points for the net, eliminating the need for separate connector components. This integration maintains net support reliability while reducing device complexity in the articulation zone.
Solution Approach 2:
The loop structure performs multiple functions: it provides structural rigidity to prevent collapse, serves as the attachment framework for the net, and acts as the motion-transmitting element. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized connectors while maintaining reliable net support.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
An endoscopic device for retrieving an object from within a human body, the device comprising: a support assembly comprising a base and an elongated tubular member; a transmitting assembly comprising a handle movable relative to the base, and a link having a first end fixed to the handle and a second end remote from the base, the link extending through at least a portion of the tubular member; a wire defining a loop portion and two leg portions, wherein each leg portion is disposed proximal from the loop portion and a proximal end of each leg portion is secured to the second end of the link by a first connection, and the two leg portions are secured to each other by at least a second connection at a location between the first connection and the loop portion; a net element having a distal portion secured to the loop portion and a proximal portion; and a means for securing the proximal portion of the net element between the two leg portions at a location proximal from adjacent the second connection. The loop portion is movable between an expanded position outside the tubular member and a collapsed position within the tubular member by action of the handle relative to the base.