Endoscopic Sheath With Rotatable Coupling And Sloped Elevator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current endoscopic systems face safety and control issues due to the lack of precise instrument control, potential damage to the endoscope, and challenges in sterilization and reprocessing of reusable devices, particularly in minimally invasive procedures.
Innovation Solution
A disposable endoscopic system with a protective sheath for instruments, a spring mechanism for safe retraction, and a distal elevator for precise control, along with a rotationally adjustable coupling for enhanced control and visualization, addresses safety and control issues by providing a stable and controlled oblique exit mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a reusable endoscope is used, then the initial cost is reduced, but sterilization and reprocessing become complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the endoscopic procedure into two segments: a reusable endoscope that remains outside the sterile field, and a disposable instrument assembly that enters the patient's body. This segmentation allows the reusable endoscope to avoid sterilization requirements while the disposable component handles sterile requirements, resolving the contradiction between initial cost and reprocessing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable instrument assembly (including sheath, elevator, and instrument) that is discarded after a single use. This eliminates the need for complex sterilization and reprocessing of the components that contact the patient, while the expensive reusable endoscope is protected from contamination. The disposable nature resolves the sterilization complexity issue.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a non-specific instrument is passed through the working channel, then versatility is maintained, but control and safety are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The sheath acts as an intermediary component between the endoscope working channel and the instrument. It provides a controlled environment that guides the instrument through the working channel and maintains precise control over instrument movement and positioning. This intermediary structure enables both versatility (different instruments can be used) and reliability (precise control and safety through the sheath mechanism).
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath-elevator-instrument assembly serves multiple functions: it guides the instrument through the working channel, controls instrument movement, provides visual feedback through optical windows, and enables both axial and oblique exits. This multi-functionality maintains versatility while enhancing control and safety through integrated design.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the instrument is free to move radially and axially, then flexibility is increased, but control and precision are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static, free-moving instrument to a dynamic controlled system. The elevator mechanism provides dynamic control over instrument movement, allowing the instrument to move radially and axially when needed while maintaining precise control through the sheath. The optical feedback system provides real-time information about instrument position, enabling precise control despite movement flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath incorporates optical windows and indicators that provide visual feedback about the instrument's position and movement. This feedback mechanism allows the operator to maintain precise control over the instrument's radial and axial movements while preserving the flexibility to move the instrument as needed for different procedural requirements.
4Device complexity
If the needle exits axially only, then the mechanism is simple, but access to blocked vessels is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The sheath is designed with an asymmetric elevator mechanism that can deflect the instrument at various angles relative to the endoscope axis. This asymmetric design allows the instrument to exit both axially and at oblique angles, enabling access to vessels that are blocked or oriented at different angles while maintaining a relatively simple overall mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from one-dimensional axial exit to multi-dimensional exit capability. The elevator mechanism adds a radial dimension to the instrument's exit path, allowing oblique exits in addition to axial exit. This dimensional expansion enables access to blocked vessels without significantly complicating the basic mechanism.
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
The system ensures safer procedures by preventing endoscope damage, enhancing patient safety through visual indicators and precise control, and simplifies sterilization with disposable components, while improving access and control during minimally invasive surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
a spring mechanism can be provided to assure proper retraction
Implementation Method 2
the inner surface being sloped so as to deflect the instrument at a predetermined angle as it is moved into contact with the inner surface
Implementation Method 3
the leading surface at the distal end of the sheath having rounded edges so as to be atraumatic
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscopic system having a shaft, a sheath disposed at least partially inside the shaft having a distal end with a leading surface and an inner surface, the leading surface at the distal end of the sheath having rounded edges so as to be atraumatic, an instrument at least partially inside the sheath and movable relative to the sheath along a longitudinal direction of the sheath, the inner surface being sloped so as to deflect the instrument at a predetermined angle as it is moved into contact with the inner surface and out of the sheath, and the sheath being rotatable relative to the shaft so as to change the direction at which the instrument extends from the sheath.