Expandable Soft Tissue Protector for Minimally Invasive Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical techniques, such as subcutaneous anterior internal fixation, face challenges in accessing anatomical structures, especially in obese patients, leading to potential nerve damage due to the lack of effective soft tissue protection during minimally invasive procedures.
Innovation Solution
A soft tissue protector with a hollow body, spring-biased jaws forming a conical tip, and an insert that can be locked in place, featuring handles, radial tabs, and a clamp system to secure surgical instruments, minimizing impingement and allowing for fine adjustments and navigation markers for precise tool placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a constant diameter cylindrical soft tissue protector is used, then the device structure is simple, but it causes soft tissue impingement when pressed against the bone
Solution Approach 1:
The soft tissue protector transitions from a static constant diameter cylinder to a dynamic variable diameter structure with an expandable conical portion. The conical portion can be compressed axially to expand radially, allowing the device to adapt its shape and reduce soft tissue impingement while maintaining structural simplicity through a collapsible design.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes its geometric parameters dynamically - the conical portion expands radially when compressed axially. This parameter transformation allows the protector to maintain contact with bone surfaces while reducing the radial pressure on surrounding soft tissues, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and tissue protection.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the cylindrical soft tissue protector is pressed against the bone, then positioning is stable, but soft tissue damage occurs due to impingement
Solution Approach 1:
The protector employs a dynamic collapse mechanism where the conical portion compresses axially to expand radially. This allows the device to achieve stable positioning against the bone surface while the expanded conical shape distributes pressure more evenly, reducing localized soft tissue damage compared to a rigid constant diameter cylinder.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the soft tissue protector is kept in place with exposure of tools, then the device remains stable, but soft tissues are damaged due to tool contact
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the surgical cavity into protected and exposed zones. The expandable conical portion creates a protective barrier that segments soft tissues from direct tool contact, while the hollow cylindrical body provides a stable framework. This segmentation allows tools to be inserted through the protected central pathway without directly contacting surrounding soft tissues.
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable conical portion acts as an intermediary barrier between surgical tools and soft tissues. By expanding radially, it creates a physical mediator that protects nerves and ligaments from direct tool exposure while allowing surgeons to perform procedures through the protected central opening.
4Productivity
If a minimally invasive surgical approach is used, then pain and hospital stay are reduced, but access to anatomical structures is challenging and nerve damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable conical soft tissue protector is inserted and expanded before surgical tools are introduced. This preliminary action creates a protected surgical corridor that prevents nerve damage during subsequent tool insertion and manipulation, enabling minimally invasive approaches to proceed safely without increasing nerve injury risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The protector serves as an intermediary protective structure that enables minimally invasive surgery by creating a safe passage for tools. It mediates between the need for small incisions and the risk of nerve damage, allowing surgeons to access anatomical structures through restricted openings while the expanded conical portion shields surrounding nerves and ligaments from accidental injury.
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 soft tissue protector enlarges the surgical cavity, reduces the risk of tool exposure to soft tissues, and allows for precise positioning of hardware, thereby minimizing damage to surrounding structures during minimally invasive surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of jaws at an anterior end of the hollow body forming a conical tip, and an insert that is inserted inside of a posterior end of the hollow body. According to further embodiments, the plurality of jaws is spring biased in a closed position.
Data Source
AI summary
A soft tissue protector comprising a hollow body, a plurality of jaws at an anterior end of the hollow body forming a conical tip, an insert that is inserted inside of a posterior end of the hollow body, at least one handle, and a sliding lock on the handle that retains the insert inside of the hollow body.