Floating Housing Cannula for Off-Axis Instrument Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trocar systems fail to maintain a sterile environment and prevent liquid/insufflation leakage during off-axis delivery of surgical instruments due to non-uniform seal deformation under uneven force application.
Innovation Solution
A movable coupling between the housing and cannula allows for angular or tilting movement of the housing relative to the cannula, ensuring that seals maintain an effective orientation and seal integrity during off-axis instrument delivery, using flexible materials like bellows or springs to facilitate this movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal element is disposed within the housing to provide a closed environment, then sterility and prevention of liquid/insufflation escape is improved, but off-axis instrument delivery causes non-uniform seal deformation and seal failure
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is made movable relative to the cannula through a flexible coupling mechanism, allowing the housing to dynamically adjust its position and orientation. This enables the seal to maintain proper alignment with the instrument during off-axis delivery while preserving seal integrity, resolving the contradiction between seal reliability and off-axis delivery adaptability
2Stability of the object's composition
If the housing is fixedly coupled to the cannula, then structural stability is improved, but off-axis instrument delivery cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed coupling is replaced with a flexible movable coupling that provides dynamic adjustment capability. This allows the housing to move and tilt relative to the cannula during off-axis instrument delivery, maintaining both structural stability and operational ease
3Reliability
If uniform force is applied to the seal during instrument delivery, then seal effectiveness is maintained, but off-axis delivery creates disproportionate force on one portion of the seal
Solution Approach 1:
The movable housing can tilt and adjust its position to align with the off-axis instrument, redistributing the force applied to the seal uniformly across its surface. This dynamic adjustment prevents disproportionate force concentration while maintaining seal effectiveness during off-axis delivery
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
This configuration enables efficient and sterile off-axis delivery of surgical instruments while maintaining a closed environment, preventing contamination and leakage, and is applicable to various surgical procedures including laparoscopic and endoscopic surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
The flexible member can include a bellows, a spring, and any other such flexible material
Data Source
AI summary
An insertion device configured for providing access to a treatment site within a body cavity is provided herein. In general, the device includes an elongate cannula configured to receive and allow passage therethrough of a surgical instrument to a treatment site. Additionally, a proximal end of the cannula is movably coupled to a housing thereby facilitating delivery of the instrument therethrough. Additionally, various embodiments of a method for delivering (e.g., laprascopically, endoscopically, etc.) various surgical instruments to various treatment sites via an elongate cannula wherein the cannula includes a proximal end movably coupled to a housing are provided herein.