Graspable Guidewire Structure for Sigmoid Colon Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing endoscopic instruments face challenges in navigating the tortuous sigmoid colon during procedures like colonoscopies, leading to looping and ineffective guidance, causing patient discomfort and procedural difficulties.

Innovation Solution

A graspable guidewire device is inserted into the instrument channel of a gastroscope to maintain a straightened pathway beyond the sigmoid colon, allowing for easy exchange with a secondary endoscopic instrument using a snare to pull the guidewire through the accessory port, minimizing discomfort and looping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a stiff endoscopic instrument is used to navigate the sigmoid colon, then the instrument can maintain its structure, but it causes looping and patient discomfort due to inability to follow tight turns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstrument structural strengthVSAvoidmaneuverability through sigmoid colon

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guidewire device is divided into multiple segments with different flexibility characteristics. The proximal portion has higher stiffness to maintain structural integrity, while the distal portion has lower stiffness to navigate tight turns in the sigmoid colon. This segmentation allows the instrument to simultaneously maintain strength and maneuverability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the guidewire device have different mechanical properties tailored to their specific functions. The proximal portion is designed with higher rigidity for structural support, while the distal portion is designed with lower rigidity for navigating tight anatomical turns. This local differentiation of mechanical properties resolves the contradiction between overall strength and local maneuverability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If a flexible instrument is used to navigate tight turns, then the instrument can follow the pathway, but it loses guiding effectiveness and creates loops in spacious cavities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to follow tight turnsVSAvoidguiding effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If a short instrument like gastroscope is used to traverse sigmoid colon, then the instrument can pass through tight curves, but it cannot reach the cecum portion of the colon

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to traverse sigmoid colonVSAvoidinsertion tube length

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The guidewire device is inserted through the instrument channel of the gastroscope, and the secondary endoscopic instrument is then advanced over the guidewire. This nested arrangement allows the combination of the short gastroscope's ability to navigate tight curves and the longer secondary instrument's ability to reach the cecum, effectively resolving the length limitation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The guidewire device acts as an intermediary between the short gastroscope and the longer secondary endoscopic instrument. It maintains the straightened pathway created by the gastroscope, allowing the secondary instrument to traverse the sigmoid colon and reach the cecum without the limitations of the gastroscope's length.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If multiple maneuvers are performed to alleviate looping, then patient discomfort may be reduced, but the sigmoid colon may reform and additional procedures are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient discomfortVSAvoidprocedural time

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The guidewire device is inserted and positioned in advance to maintain the straightened pathway through the sigmoid colon before the secondary endoscopic instrument is advanced. This preliminary action prevents looping from occurring in the first place, eliminating the need for subsequent maneuvers to alleviate discomfort and reducing overall procedural time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250375100A1Graspable guidewire device

Publication Date: 2025.12.11 STAFFETTI JOSEPH FREDERICK

AI summary

A graspable guidewire device includes a wire having an indentation portion at its proximal end, a probing portion at its distal end, and a body therebetween. This wire body may be coated in a non-frictive bio-compatible, or otherwise non-reactionary, material that is capable of insertion into a human body without any adverse effects. The probing portion possesses a Young's Modulus that is lower than the body or proximal end of the device while the indentation portion possesses a graspable structure that allows the device to be threaded through an endoscopic instrument. A guide handle is operationally engagable about the indentation portion thereby allowing a medical professional to control the device as it probes deeper into a patient's internal organs. The length of the device is at least twice the distance measured between the tip of a given endoscopic instrument and its accessory (or biopsy) port.