Endoscopic Tether Traction Cap for Precise Tissue Retraction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopic tissue resection/dissection procedures face challenges in maintaining accurate traction during tissue dissection, particularly in retracting and immobilizing target tissues for efficient biopsy and dissection.
Innovation Solution
A tethered system comprising a cap attachable to an endoscope with guides and filaments for extending medical devices, allowing for the attachment of medical instruments to target tissues and applying tension through external filaments for traction control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a tethered system with external filaments is used to maintain traction during tissue dissection, then the accuracy and control of tissue manipulation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple guides and filaments
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs nested structures where the cap is attachable to the distal end of the endoscope, and multiple guides are integrated onto the outer surface of the cap. Filaments extend through these guides and along the outer surface of the endoscope, creating a compact nested arrangement that reduces spatial complexity while maintaining functional precision for tissue manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap and guides serve as intermediary components that mediate between the endoscope and the filaments. The cap provides a mounting surface for multiple guides, which in turn guide the filaments to their attachment points on medical devices. This intermediary structure enables precise filament routing and tension control without requiring direct integration into the endoscope body, thus managing complexity while improving manipulation accuracy.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple guides and filaments are integrated on the cap to enable multiple medical devices, then the versatility of the system is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to handling multiple gripping elements
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate multiple guides and support various medical devices simultaneously. Each guide on the cap's outer surface can receive and guide a separate filament, allowing the system to attach and manipulate multiple medical devices (such as clips, snares, or other therapeutic tools) through a single integrated structure, thereby enhancing versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The guides are positioned on the outer surface of the cap, utilizing the three-dimensional space available on the cap's exterior. This spatial arrangement allows multiple filaments to be routed along different paths and directions, enabling independent control of multiple medical devices without interfering with each other, thus maintaining ease of operation despite increased versatility.
3Reliability
If the filament extends along the outer surface of the endoscope and through guides on the cap, then the reliability of traction control is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the extended filament path
Solution Approach 1:
The guides are pre-positioned on the outer surface of the cap, and the filament path is pre-routed through these guides before the medical device is fully deployed. This preliminary arrangement ensures that the filament is correctly positioned and tensioned in advance, improving the reliability of traction control during tissue manipulation while avoiding the need for complex real-time adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The guides are strategically positioned at specific locations on the cap's outer surface to optimize the filament's path. Each guide is placed to ensure proper alignment and tension control for its corresponding filament, creating localized optimization points that enhance overall system reliability without requiring complex routing throughout the entire endoscope length.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of medical devices. In particular, the present disclosure relates to traction systems, and methods of use thereof, for endoscopic procedures such as tissue dissection. For example, a traction system may include a filament extendable along an outer surface of an endoscope with a distal end of the filament attachable to a medical device engaged with a target tissue of a body lumen.