Expandable Cage Scaffold for Capturing Kidney Stone Fragments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing kidney stones and fragments from the ureter and kidney often result in scattered small fragments that are difficult to extract, leading to prolonged procedures and potential for new stone formation or pain, and existing devices struggle to efficiently capture and remove these fragments without causing further trauma.
Innovation Solution
A medical device featuring an outer elongate member with an expandable cage-like scaffold composed of crossing wires, actuated between a folded and open configuration, and an inner elongate member for axial movement, allowing for efficient capture and removal of stones and fragments from within the body lumen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If standard baskets are used to capture stone fragments, then the device structure remains simple, but the ability to grasp small scattered stone fragments is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The basket is divided into multiple legs (at least three legs) that can be independently positioned and moved. Each leg can be selectively moved to engage with stone fragments, allowing precise capture of small scattered fragments while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The basket legs are designed to be movable relative to the longitudinal axis, transitioning between retracted and extended positions. This dynamic capability allows the basket to adapt its configuration to capture fragments of various sizes and positions, improving grasping ability without requiring multiple separate devices.
2Reliability
If successive instrumentation is used to remove stone fragments, then complete removal can be achieved, but tissue trauma increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device combines multiple functions in a single instrument: the expandable basket can both capture stone fragments and facilitate their removal in one action. The movable legs can engage fragments at different positions and sizes, allowing complete removal without needing multiple separate instrumentation steps, thereby reducing tissue trauma.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the capture and removal functions into a single integrated device. The basket structure with movable legs merges the capabilities of fragment engagement and extraction, eliminating the need for successive instrumentation and reducing cumulative tissue trauma.
3Loss of time
If fragments are left behind after the procedure, then the procedure time is reduced, but new stone formation and pain occur
Solution Approach 1:
The movable legs are positioned and extended in advance to engage with stone fragments before removal. This preliminary engagement ensures that even small scattered fragments are captured and removed during the procedure, preventing them from being left behind and causing future complications, while maintaining efficient procedure time.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a medical device comprising an outer elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therethrough; an inner elongate member disposed within the lumen of the outer elongate member and configured to be axially movable inside the lumen of the outer elongate member, the inner elongate member having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a lumen extending therethrough; an expandable cage-like scaffold having a proximal end secured to the distal end of the outer elongate member and a distal end having an inwardly everted tapering framework, the cage-like scaffold composed of a plurality of wires that cross each other at points, and capable of being actuated between a substantially folded configuration and a substantially open configuration. Also disclosed is a method of employing the above disclosed device or variations thereof to capture and remove stones or stone fragments from the body's lumen of a subject.