Force Mediated Mechanical Testing Device for Soft Tissue Characterization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for diagnosing cervical insufficiency are inadequate, relying on subjective manual palpation and visual confirmation of cervical dilation, which are inaccurate and reactionary, leading to missed diagnoses and negative outcomes.
Innovation Solution
A force-mediated mechanical testing device that measures the mechanical stiffness of soft tissues, such as cervical tissue, using a load cell, linear-actuator, and internal probe to quantify tissue stiffness in-situ, allowing for early detection of cervical insufficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual palpation is used to assess cervical stiffness, then the method is simple and quick, but the measurement is subjective and inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical palpation system with an automated mechanical testing device that uses a load cell to quantitatively measure cervical stiffness. The load cell converts mechanical force from tissue indentation into electrical signals, providing objective and precise measurements instead of subjective manual assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a load cell as an intermediary device between the probing mechanism and the measurement system. This load cell serves as a mediator that accurately transduces the mechanical interaction with cervical tissue into quantifiable data, eliminating the subjectivity of manual palpation while maintaining clinical applicability.
2Loss of time
If visual confirmation of cervical dilation is used for diagnosis, then the method requires no special equipment, but the diagnosis is reactionary and occurs after effacement has already begun
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables preliminary detection of cervical insufficiency by measuring cervical stiffness before visual dilation occurs. The mechanical testing device can detect changes in tissue mechanical properties during the effacement phase, allowing clinicians to intervene before cervical dilation begins, thus preventing negative outcomes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces visual inspection with mechanical measurement to detect cervical changes. By using a load cell to measure tissue stiffness mechanically, the system can detect early signs of cervical insufficiency that are not yet visible through conventional visual examination methods.
3Reliability
If constant monitoring by medical professionals is implemented, then early detection is possible, but the cost and complexity of continuous clinical presence increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the cervical insufficiency detection system self-service by enabling quantitative measurement without requiring constant medical professional presence. The device autonomously performs mechanical testing and data collection, allowing reliable monitoring to be conducted by patients or with minimal clinical oversight, thus maintaining detection reliability while simplifying operation.
4Measurement precision
If existing mechanical testing devices are used for tissue samples, then quantitative measurement is achieved, but the devices are large and cannot be used in clinical settings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the existing large-scale mechanical testing system into a compact, clinically applicable device. By dividing the testing mechanism into smaller modular components and adapting the load cell-based measurement approach for in-vivo use, the system maintains quantitative measurement precision while reducing size to fit clinical constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of mechanical testing from ex-vivo sample analysis to in-vivo clinical measurement. By adapting the load cell sensitivity and probing mechanism for use within the human body, the device achieves accurate cervical stiffness measurement in the clinical environment rather than in laboratory settings.
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
Enables accurate, quantitative measurement of cervical tissue stiffness, facilitating early intervention and reducing negative outcomes associated with cervical insufficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The device consists of a load cell, a linear-actuator, and internal probe coupled in series to transfer the resistance force of the tissue displaced by the probe to the load cell directly
Data Source
AI summary
A testing device for determining a stiffness of a patient's tissue is provided herein that includes a probe housing, an internal probe housed in the probe housing, a load cell connected to the internal probe, and a linear-actuator connected to the load cell. The patient's tissue may be joint tissue, cervical tissue, uterine tissue, muscular tissue, and/or pulmonary tissue. The internal probe may be configured to translate within the probe housing, and the linear-actuator may be configured to move the load cell, causing translation of the internal probe within the probe housing. When the load cell is moved by the linear-actuator, the internal probe may translate within the probe housing, and a tip of the internal probe may cause indentation into a patient's tissue.