Integrated Cautery Knife for Precise Transection and Coagulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrosurgical instruments struggle with poor tissue transection capabilities, necessitating multiple tool exchanges during minimally invasive surgeries, which complicates procedures and increases surgical time.
Innovation Solution
A combined cautery and knife tool with a movable blade and cautery tip, allowing for simultaneous cutting and cauterizing actions, reducing the need for tool exchanges by integrating both functions into a single instrument.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrosurgical instruments are used for cutting tissue, then coagulation capability is improved, but tissue transection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a knife tool for mechanical cutting and a cautery tool for electrocautery into a single integrated surgical instrument. The knife tool includes a blade that can be extended through a channel in the elongated body, while the cautery tool with its conductor and cautery tip can be positioned at the distal end. This merging allows both cutting and coagulation functions to be performed by one instrument, eliminating the need for tool exchanges during surgery.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical instrument is designed with multi-functionality, allowing it to perform both cutting and coagulation tasks. The knife tool provides mechanical cutting capability through its blade, while the cautery tool provides electrocautery capability through its conductor and cautery tip. The instrument can switch between these functions by extending or retracting the knife tool and activating or deactivating the cautery tip, making it a universal tool for various surgical needs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate tools are used for cutting and cauterizing, then functional versatility is improved, but device complexity and procedural time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate cutting and coagulation tools into a single integrated instrument. The elongated body contains a channel for the knife tool and houses the conductor for the cautery tool. This integration maintains functional versatility while reducing the number of separate instruments needed, thereby simplifying the procedure and reducing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The knife tool is nested within the elongated body, moving through a channel that runs through the body. The conductor is also positioned within the elongated body, with the cautery tip accessible at the distal end. This nesting arrangement allows multiple functions to be contained within a single instrument structure, reducing the need for multiple separate tools and simplifying the surgical procedure.
3Reliability
If electrosurgical waveforms are used for cutting, then coagulation effectiveness is improved, but cutting precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cutting and coagulation functions into separate tools within the same instrument. The knife tool provides precise mechanical cutting through its sharp blade, while the cautery tool provides effective coagulation through its electrocautery capability. This segmentation allows each function to be optimized independently, with the knife blade designed for precision cutting and the cautery tip designed for effective coagulation, without compromising either function.
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
Enhances surgical efficiency by enabling seamless transitions between cutting and cauterizing without tool changes, improving precision and reducing procedural complexity in minimally invasive surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
low-voltage, high-amperage, direct or alternating current is used to heat a resistive element, which is applied to the tissue
Implementation Method 2
The electrical energy can be used to coagulate, fuse, or cut tissue to which it is applied
Implementation Method 3
The blade is adapted for performing a cutting action consisting of mechanically cutting by applying physical stress
Data Source
AI summary
A minimally invasive surgical instrument combines a cautery tool and knife tool for performing operative actions, including tissue destruction, coagulation, dissection, and transection. An elongated body has a channel extending in a longitudinal direction to a distal end. The knife tool is situated in the channel and movable along the channel. The cautery tool includes a conductor electrically coupled to a cautery tip. The cautery tip includes a resistive element with a through opening in axial alignment with the channel. The knife tool has a retracted position in which a blade of the knife tool is unexposed, and a fully extended position in which the blade is exposed distal to the through opening.