Tissue Removal Probes with Invertible Filaments for Spinal Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tissue removal devices for spinal procedures, such as discectomy and vertebral bone treatment, face challenges including limited control, unintentional removal of healthy tissue, and increased tissue trauma due to their design, which restricts precision and efficiency in minimally invasive surgeries.
Innovation Solution
The development of tissue removal probes with elongated members and rotatable tissue removal elements, featuring interlaced or looped filaments with abrasive particles, and adjustable radii of revolution, allowing for precise cutting and grasping capabilities, along with irrigation and aspiration functionalities, to enhance tissue removal precision and minimize trauma.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional tissue removal devices are used for spinal procedures, then tissue removal can be achieved, but precision is limited and healthy tissue may be unintentionally removed
Solution Approach 1:
The tissue removal device is segmented into distinct functional components: a cutting element with multiple blades arranged in a circular pattern, a grasping element with fingers, and an irrigation/aspiration system. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, improving precision by separating cutting, grasping, and debris removal functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The device integrates multiple functions into a single instrument: cutting tissue with rotating blades, grasping tissue with movable fingers, irrigating with fluid delivery, and aspirating debris. This multi-functionality improves precision by combining all necessary operations in one controlled device, reducing the need for multiple separate instruments and procedures.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive techniques are used, then tissue trauma is reduced, but control and precision are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates dynamic elements including rotatable cutting blades that spin at controlled speeds, movable grasping fingers that can open and close, and adjustable irrigation/aspiration flow rates. These dynamic components allow real-time adjustment of cutting speed, grasping force, and fluid flow to optimize control and precision while maintaining minimally invasive benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The device includes feedback mechanisms through the irrigation-aspiration system that continuously removes debris and provides visual feedback to the operator, allowing real-time adjustment of cutting and grasping actions. The controlled fluid flow also provides tactile feedback about tissue consistency and resistance, improving operator control and precision.
3Ease of operation
If larger incisions are made for better visualization and access, then surgical control is improved, but tissue trauma and recovery time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device merges visualization, cutting, grasping, irrigation, and aspiration functions into a single integrated instrument that can be introduced through a small incision. By combining all necessary surgical functions in one device, the patent eliminates the need for large incisions required for traditional separate instruments, reducing tissue trauma while maintaining full surgical control.
Solution Approach 2:
The device acts as an intermediary tool that transmits surgical control from the operator to the target tissue through a small incision. The long shaft design with controlled articulation at the distal end allows the operator to precisely control cutting and grasping actions remotely, maintaining surgical control without requiring large incisions for direct manual manipulation.
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
These probes enable more precise and efficient removal of spinal tissue with reduced trauma, allowing for smaller incisions and shorter recovery times, improving the effectiveness and safety of minimally invasive spinal surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
featuring interlaced or looped filaments with abrasive particles, and adjustable radii of revolution, allowing for precise cutting and grasping capabilities
Implementation Method 2
along with irrigation and aspiration functionalities
Implementation Method 3
along with irrigation and aspiration functionalities
Data Source
AI summary
Tissue removal probes comprise an elongated member, a drive shaft rotatably disposed within the member, and a rotatable tissue removal element mounted to the distal end of the drive shaft. One tissue removal element comprises a plurality of tissue-cutting filaments affixed at proximal and distal ends of the tissue removal element. The cutting filaments may have optional hinge points that allow the distal end of the tissue removal element to be inverted, thereby transforming the tissue removal element from a tissue-cutting device to a tissue-grasping device. Another tissue removal element may have a blunted tip to prevent distal tissue trauma and an irrigation port to provide irrigation fluid to the removed tissue and/or tissue removal element. Another tissue removal element has a proximal and distal spiral grooves that are oppositely pitched, so that removed tissue can be collected in the middle of the tissue removal element.