Injection Needle with Integrated Endoscope for Regenerative Medicine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical injection techniques for delivering therapeutic agents like stem cells and platelet-rich plasma lack precision, leading to inefficiencies in targeting pathology sites and causing unnecessary tissue damage and pain, which can result in increased opioid use and the need for surgical centers for procedures.
Innovation Solution
A needle with integrated solid-state illumination and imaging capabilities, allowing for precise delivery of therapeutic agents by providing a wider field of view and correcting for rotational distortions, while minimizing tissue damage through a small diameter and retractable camera design for enhanced visualization during injection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a needle with integrated imaging sensor and illumination is used, then delivery precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (imaging, illumination, injection) into a single integrated needle device. The imaging sensor and illumination circuitry are mounted within the needle body, allowing simultaneous visualization and therapeutic agent delivery through the same access point, thereby improving delivery precision while consolidating device components.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle serves multiple functions: it acts as both an injection device for delivering therapeutic agents and an imaging device with integrated sensor and illumination. This multi-functionality allows the single device to perform both diagnostic visualization and therapeutic delivery, reducing the need for separate instruments.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If needle diameter is reduced to minimize tissue damage, then tissue disruption is reduced, but imaging sensor integration becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging sensor and illumination circuitry are nested within the hollow interior of the needle body. The sensor is positioned in the distal portion of the needle, and the illumination components are arranged within the same cylindrical space, allowing compact integration without increasing the external needle diameter, thus minimizing tissue disruption.
3Area of stationary object
If supporting structure is extended forward to create wider field of view, then imaging capability is improved, but needle structural integrity during piercing is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting structure for the imaging sensor is designed to be slideable within the needle. During the piercing phase, the supporting structure is retracted behind the needle point to maintain structural integrity. After piercing, the supporting structure can be extended forward to provide a wider field of view for imaging, allowing dynamic adjustment based on procedural needs.
4Area of stationary object
If image sensor axis is offset from needle axis to improve viewing angle, then field of view is improved, but image orientation becomes distorted
Solution Approach 1:
A rotation or orientation sensor is integrated with the image sensor to detect the angular position of the sensor relative to the needle axis. The detected orientation information is fed back to image-righting circuitry, which computationally corrects the video signal to compensate for the offset angle, thereby restoring accurate spatial orientation in the displayed image.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of image orientation through computational correction. The image-righting circuitry applies rotational transformation to the video signal based on the detected sensor angle, effectively changing the orientation parameter of the displayed image to match the actual anatomical orientation despite the physical offset of the sensor.
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 approach enables more precise delivery of therapeutic agents, reducing pain and tissue disruption, potentially decreasing opioid use by 70% and allowing procedures to be performed in a physician's office, thereby reducing costs and improving healing outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
Solid state illumination circuitry and an imaging sensor are designed to provide illumination and imaging
Implementation Method 2
an imaging sensor designed to provide illumination and imaging, mounted within supporting structure designed to support the illumination circuitry and imaging sensor within the needle arranged for illuminating and viewing the delivery site reached by piercing
Implementation Method 3
A lens may be designed and mounted within the supporting structure to refract an image received by the image sensor off the axis of the needle
Data Source
AI summary
An injection needle has a point designed to pierce flesh of a living body, and has a fluid passage therethrough designed for delivery of a therapeutic agent at a delivery site within the body, the delivery site to be reached by piercing at which an injection fluid is to be delivered via the fluid passage. The outer diameter of the needle is no more than about 2.1 mm. Solid state illumination circuitry and an imaging sensor are designed to provide illumination and imaging, and are mounted within supporting structure designed to support the illumination circuitry and imaging sensor within the needle arranged for illuminating and viewing the delivery site reached by piercing.