Intraoperative Clip Loading Device for Endoscopic Reload
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopic surgical clip appliers require frequent removal from the body cavity for reloading, which is time-consuming and increases the risk of infection, especially when articulation of the distal portion is complex.
Innovation Solution
An intraoperative ligation clip loading device with an elongate body that supports multiple clips and a clip advancing mechanism, allowing for in vivo reloading of ligation clip appliers without withdrawing them from the body cavity, using a handle assembly and clip retainers to facilitate the loading process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single-fire clip applier is used and removed from the body cavity after each use to reload a ligation clip, then the clip applier can be reused, but the process is time-consuming and increases the possibility of infection
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple ligation clips are pre-loaded into a single clip applier during the setup phase before the surgical procedure begins. This preliminary action eliminates the need for repeated removal and reloading operations during the procedure, directly resolving the time loss and infection risk associated with frequent reloading.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple individual clip loading operations are merged into a single multi-clip applier system. Instead of performing separate load-remove-reload cycles for each clip, the system combines multiple clips into one applier that can deliver all clips in sequence without leaving the body cavity, thereby improving productivity and reducing time loss.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single-fire clip applier is removed from the body cavity for reloading, then the clip can be replaced, but the frequency of removal increases infection risk and patient trauma
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple ligation clips are pre-loaded into the applier before entering the body cavity. This preliminary preparation ensures that all necessary clips are available for use without requiring repeated entries and exits, thereby maintaining clip replacement capability while minimizing exposure to infection risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip applier remains continuously inside the body cavity, maintaining a continuous useful action without interruption for reloading. This eliminates the harmful factor of repeated removal and insertion, reducing both infection risk and patient trauma while still providing multiple clips through the pre-loaded mechanism.
3Productivity
If multi-fire clip appliers with clip cartridges are used to facilitate placement of multiple clips, then the applier remains in the body cavity, but the device complexity increases especially where articulation is desired
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-clip applier is segmented into distinct functional components: a handle assembly, an elongate body, a clip cartridge, and individual clip units. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, managing overall device complexity while maintaining the capability to place multiple clips without articulation mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
An intraoperative clip loading device includes an elongate body that can be positioned at a surgical site through a cannula during an endoscopic surgical procedure to provide a supply of ligation clips to the clip applier. The elongate body includes structure for supporting and advancing the ligation clips within the elongate body.