Grasper Needle Closure Device for GI Perforations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tissue closure devices are insufficient for closing certain perforations in the gastrointestinal tract during aggressive interventional and therapeutic endoscopic procedures, which can lead to increased risk of perforation and trauma.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a grasper with movable arms and a needle that deploys T-tag sutures to approximate and close tissue defects by inserting suture elements into target tissues on both sides of the defect, allowing for secure closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional tissue closure devices are used, then the procedure is simple, but they are insufficient to close certain perforations in the GI tract
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the closure function into multiple components: a grasper with movable arms for tissue engagement, a needle for suture delivery, and deployable suture elements with anchoring features. Each component performs a specific function, allowing the system to handle complex perforation closure requirements that single-component devices cannot address
Solution Approach 2:
The needle is slidably received between the arms of the grasper, allowing the needle to be stored within the grasper structure during insertion and then extended when needed. The suture elements are housed within the needle, creating a nested configuration that reduces overall device profile while maintaining full functionality
2Productivity
If aggressive interventional and therapeutic endoscopic procedures are performed, then treatment efficacy is improved, but the risk of perforating the GI tract wall increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device enables preliminary closure action by deploying sutures with cross members that can be anchored in tissue before complete procedure completion. The grasper can engage tissue and position sutures to prevent perforation progression or facilitate subsequent closure steps, addressing the harmful effect before it becomes critical
Solution Approach 2:
The suture elements with cross members serve as intermediaries between the grasper and the tissue wall. Rather than the grasper directly clamping or manipulating tissue in a way that could cause damage, the sutures mediate the closure process by distributing forces across the tissue and providing a gentler closure mechanism
3Ease of operation
If the needle is extended beyond the arms to reach target tissue, then suture deployment capability is improved, but the device becomes more complex to control
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is designed to be slidable between the arms rather than fixed in one position. This dynamic configuration allows the needle to be extended beyond the arms when suture deployment is needed and retracted when not in use. The movable arms can also adjust their position to accommodate needle extension, providing flexible control for reaching target tissue while maintaining a compact profile during non-active phases
Data Source
AI summary
A device for treating a tissue defect including a grasper including a pair of arms movable between a tissue receiving configuration and a tissue gripping configuration, a needle extending longitudinally from a proximal end to a distal end and including a first lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, the needle slidably received between the arms so that the needle is movable between a non-extended configuration, in which the distal end of the needle is proximal the distal ends of the arms, and an extended configuration, in which the distal end of the needle is distal of the distal end of the arms, and a first suture element slidably housed within the first channel and deployable therefrom to be anchored in a first target tissue into which it is inserted, the first suture element including a first cross member attached to a distal end of a first suture.