Fornix Manipulator Collar Stabilizer Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional uterine manipulators fail to precisely delineate and deviate the vaginal fornix, leading to imprecise surgeries, vaginal shortening, abdominal deflation, blocked cervical access, and increased risk of tissue damage during medical procedures like hysterectomies due to inaccurate device sizing and lack of a platform for dissection.

Innovation Solution

A fornix manipulator comprising a collar with a varying diameter and a stabilizer that provides precise delineation and deviation of the vaginal fornix, maintains cervical access, and offers a platform for dissection by using a collar with a trapezoidal or domed shape and a stabilizer with prongs to support the fornix, preventing tissue retraction and maintaining abdominal inflation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional uterine manipulators are used to manipulate the fornix, then the fornix can be moved during surgery, but the delineation is imprecise and tissue damage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefornix delineation precisionVSAvoidtissue damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The collar is divided into multiple sections with different diameters (first end with smaller diameter, second end with larger diameter), allowing precise positioning at the fornix while providing structural support. This segmentation enables accurate delineation without excessive force on the tissue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The collar has varying diameter along its length, with the first end having a smaller diameter for precise fornix positioning and the second end having a larger diameter for structural support. This local quality variation allows the device to provide different functions at different locations, improving precision while reducing tissue damage risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If pressure is applied to deviate the fornix away from vital organs, then organ protection is improved, but vaginal shortening occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevital organ protectionVSAvoidvaginal length

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The fornix is deviated away from vital organs before incision is made, allowing the surgeon to work in a safe zone without needing to apply continuous pressure during the procedure. This preliminary deviation prevents tissue retraction and maintains vaginal length.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The collar acts as an intermediary device that maintains the deviated position of the fornix without requiring continuous manual pressure. The device holds the fornix away from vital organs throughout the surgical procedure, preventing both organ damage and vaginal shortening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the fornix is deviated away from vital organs during incision, then surgical safety is improved, but abdominal deflation occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical safetyVSAvoidabdominal volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The collar serves as a stable intermediary structure that maintains fornix deviation without requiring continuous manipulation. This stability prevents tissue retraction and maintains abdominal inflation throughout the surgical procedure, ensuring both safety and proper abdominal volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Measurement precision

If conventional devices are used without a dissection platform, then device complexity is reduced, but dissection precision decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedissection precisionVSAvoiddevice structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The collar serves multiple functions: it delineates the fornix, deviates it from vital organs, provides a stable platform for dissection, and maintains abdominal inflation. This multi-functionality improves dissection precision without requiring multiple separate devices, balancing complexity and capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

5Measurement precision

If the collar has a varying diameter design, then fornix delineation precision is improved, but device manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefornix delineation precisionVSAvoidcollar manufacturing ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The collar has varying diameter along its length with the first end having a smaller diameter for precise fornix positioning and the second end having a larger diameter for structural support. This local quality variation, while improving precision, requires more complex manufacturing processes to achieve the non-uniform geometry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10905468B2Fornix manipulator

Publication Date: 2021.02.02 AHLUWALIA PRABHAT K

AI summary

A fornix manipulator includes a collar and stabilizer. The collar has a first end and a second end, the second end having an opening and diameter greater than the first end and the first end having an opening to receive a cervix into the collar. The stabilizer has a base portion defining a guide hole and a plurality of prongs extending from the base portion to contact the first end of the collar.