Filtered Trocar Cap for Pneumoperitoneum and Particle Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical access ports with open designs allow unwanted particles, including gases and pathogens, to escape from the surgical site into the operating room, posing a risk to surgical staff, despite the use of personal protective equipment.
Innovation Solution
A cap with a housing and ultra-low particulate air filter medium is removably attached to the trocar, ensuring all flow through the access port passes through the filter, while maintaining stable pneumoperitoneum and smoke evacuation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an open valve-less trocar design is used to maintain stable pneumoperitoneum, then insufflation effectiveness is improved, but harmful particles can escape into the operating room
Solution Approach 1:
The trocar assembly is segmented into multiple functional components: the trocar shaft for insufflation, a filter housing for particle filtration, and a valve mechanism for flow control. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, maintaining pneumoperitoneum stability while filtering harmful particles.
Solution Approach 2:
A filter medium is introduced as an intermediary element between the surgical site and the operating room environment. The filter housing containing the filter medium acts as a mediator that allows controlled gas exchange while blocking harmful particles, thus protecting the operating room without compromising pneumoperitoneum stability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a filter medium is added to prevent particle emission, then operating room safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter housing is designed with multi-functionality: it provides structural support, contains the filter medium, facilitates controlled gas exchange through the valve mechanism, and maintains connection to the trocar shaft. This universal design reduces the need for separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving comprehensive particle protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter medium is nested within the filter housing, which itself is attached to the trocar shaft. This nested arrangement allows the filtration system to be integrated into the existing trocar structure without requiring a completely separate complex assembly, thus minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a removable cap with filter is attached to the trocar, then particle filtration is improved, but ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter housing is designed with a removable and reattachable mechanism, allowing dynamic adjustment during surgical procedures. The valve mechanism within the housing can be opened or closed based on operational requirements, enabling flexible control over filtration and gas exchange. This dynamic design maintains ease of operation while ensuring effective particle blocking.
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
Prevents harmful particles from entering the operating room air while preserving the effectiveness of insufflation and pneumoperitoneum, enhancing safety for surgical staff.
Implementation Method 1
A filter medium is included within the housing spanning the flow passage for filtration of flow through the flow passage
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A trocar assembly includes a trocar including an elongated tubular member extending between a distal end configured to be inserted into a surgical site and a proximal portion including a trocar housing configured for introduction of surgical instmments into the tubular member, wherein the trocar housing includes at least one latch receptacle. The assembly includes a cap, wherein the housing of the cap is attached to the proximal portion of a trocar. The cap includes a housing configured to be removably attached to a proximal portion of a trocar. The housing includes a flow passage therethrough from a distal end of the housing to a proximal opening of the housing. A filter medium is included within the housing spanning the flow passage for filtration of flow through the flow passage.