Insertable Device for Minimally Invasive Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally invasive surgical procedures face challenges due to the limited range of motion and complexity of instrument orientation, requiring assistants to hold and adjust endoscopes, and existing robotic systems are either cumbersome or lack sufficient freedom of movement.
Innovation Solution
A single or multi-functional insertable device with movable camera elements that can be secured to a structure's wall, providing additional degrees of freedom for instrument orientation and allowing multiple perspectives, including stereoscopic imaging, without the need for a dedicated incision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an endoscope is used for minimal access procedures, then the surgical site can be viewed, but the range of motion and freedom of movement for instrument orientation is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate functional modules: an insertable portion with camera elements that can be positioned independently from the control portion outside the body. This segmentation allows the camera to be optimally positioned for viewing while the control portion remains accessible for manipulation, resolving the contradiction between viewing capability and instrument orientation freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-point insertion approach to a multi-dimensional positioning system where the insertable device can be placed at different locations and orientations within the lumen. This enables multiple viewing angles and instrument approaches simultaneously, greatly improving instrument orientation freedom without increasing overall system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If a robotic endoscope manipulator is used to automate endoscope orientation, then the assistant's workload is reduced, but the equipment becomes more complex and occupies more space
Solution Approach 1:
The camera and viewing functions are extracted from the traditional endoscope and placed in a separate insertable device that can be independently positioned. This extraction eliminates the need for complex robotic manipulators to orient the endoscope, as the camera is already positioned at the optimal location within the lumen, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining automation benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The insertable device serves as an intermediary between the external control portion and the internal surgical site. It provides a direct transmission path for imaging and control signals, eliminating the need for intermediate robotic manipulation mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple instruments are inserted through a single incision, then access to the surgical site is improved, but the range of motion about the fulcrum is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The insertable device incorporates movable camera elements and adjustable positioning mechanisms that allow dynamic reorientation within the lumen. This dynamic capability enables multiple instruments to maintain optimal angles and ranges of motion while all passing through a single incision, resolving the contradiction between access versatility and operational range of motion.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a system and single or multi-functional element device that can be inserted and temporarily placed or implanted into a structure having a lumen or hollow space, such as a subject's abdominal cavity to provide therewith access to the site of interest in connection with minimally invasive surgical procedures. The insertable device may be configured such that the functional elements have various degrees of freedom of movement with respect to orienting the functional elements or elements to provide access to the site from multiple and different orientations/perspectives as the procedure dictates, e.g., to provide multiple selectable views of the site, and may provide a stereoscopic view of the site.