Flexible Cannula Insertion Device with Slotted Holder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible cannulas used in less invasive surgical procedures are difficult to insert consistently and reliably, often leading to dislodgment and increased surgical time due to friction and the need for multiple incisions, which can cause tissue damage and increase costs.
Innovation Solution
A method and instruments, such as tubular insertion devices with slotted, pivoting, or sliding cannula holders, that use a surgical guide to accurately place flexible cannulas, fold and lock them in place, and facilitate secure insertion without creating extraneous tracks, using materials like surgical grade steel alloys and titanium for durability and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flexible cannulas are inserted by folding the interior flange and using a curved hemostat to push the cannula into the portal, then the cannula can be inserted through the portal, but friction from the portal causes the cannula to slip out of the clamp, resulting in dislodgment and requiring re-start of the insertion process
Solution Approach 1:
The cannula is pre-loaded into the insertion device before the procedure begins. The interior flange is folded and positioned within the device's holding mechanism in advance, so that during insertion, the cannula is already secured and ready to be deployed through the portal without requiring repeated clamping and unclamping operations
Solution Approach 2:
A specialized insertion device acts as an intermediary between the surgeon's hand and the flexible cannula. This device includes a holding mechanism with a slot that receives and secures the folded cannula, providing a more reliable grip than a hemostat. The intermediary device transfers the cannula through the portal and releases it at the target location, preventing dislodgment during insertion
2Reliability
If multiple attempts are made to insert the cannula to identify the exact path of the original portal, then the insertion may eventually succeed, but additional subcutaneous and intramuscular tracks develop, increasing the risk of water extravasation and damaging surrounding tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The exact insertion path is planned and prepared before the actual cannula insertion. A guide wire or tracking device is inserted first to establish the correct trajectory through the portal, allowing the subsequent cannula to follow the pre-determined safe path without requiring multiple exploratory attempts that would create additional tissue tracks
Solution Approach 2:
A guide wire or tracking instrument serves as an intermediary that first explores and establishes the safe insertion path through the portal. This intermediary component identifies the correct trajectory and creates a template that the flexible cannula then follows, eliminating the need for multiple direct cannula insertion attempts that would cause tissue damage
3Ease of operation
If hemostats are used to clamp and insert the cannula, then the cannula can be held and pushed into the portal, but the portal skin incision needs to be longer to accommodate the increased bulk of the hemostat handles
Solution Approach 1:
A specialized insertion device with a streamlined profile acts as an intermediary between the surgeon and the cannula. This device has a more compact handle design compared to traditional hemostats, allowing it to be inserted through smaller portal incisions while still providing adequate gripping force on the cannula's interior flange
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion device is designed with differentiated local qualities: the handle portion is optimized for ergonomic gripping and control, while the insertion shaft is streamlined and minimally invasive to allow passage through small portals. The cannula-holding section features a slot and releasing mechanism that provides secure clamping without requiring the bulk of traditional hemostat handles
4Object-affected harmful factors
If sutures are passed through the cannula and pulled through a second portal to position the cannula, then the placement may be less traumatic to soft tissue, but the minimum number of incisions increases from 2 to at least 3 portals
Solution Approach 1:
The cannula positioning function is extracted from the suture-pulling mechanism. Instead of using sutures to drag the cannula through multiple portals, the insertion device itself is designed to directly hold, guide, and position the cannula through a single portal, eliminating the need for the additional suture-passing portal while maintaining soft tissue protection
Data Source
AI summary
A cannula insertion device includes a rigid elongated body having a first end and a second end, an insertion tip located at a first end of the rigid elongated body, a cannula holder located along the rigid elongated body between the first and second ends, the cannula holder being configured to receive, hold, and release a cannula that is at least partially deformable; and a cannula insertion device control means located at a second end of the rigid elongated body. A system for facilitating access to a surgical site via minimally invasive means includes a cannula insertion device and a cannula having a deformable flange at one end.