Kidney Stone Suction Tube With Nested U-Shaped Lumen
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing kidney stone removal techniques require invasive incisions due to the combined cross-sectional areas of a laser fiber ureteroscope and suction tube being too large to pass through the urethra, bladder, and ureter, necessitating a device that can accommodate both without increasing size.
Innovation Solution
A suction tube device with a U-shaped hollow lumen channel and intra-renal portion, including a collection cylinder and mesh filter, designed for insertion via a ureteral sheath, which magnetically couples with a ureteroscope for simultaneous stone fragmentation and suctioning, using flexible tubing made of plastic or silicone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a laser fiber ureteroscope and suction tube are used together for kidney stone removal, then stone fragmentation and removal capability is improved, but the combined device size becomes too large to pass through the urethra and ureter
Solution Approach 1:
The suction tube is nested within the working channel of the ureteroscope, allowing both devices to occupy the same spatial pathway. The suction tube can be advanced through the ureteroscope's working channel and positioned at the distal end, enabling simultaneous stone fragmentation by the laser fiber and suction removal through the nested suction tube without increasing the overall device footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction tube transitions from a straight linear configuration to a curved configuration with a bend angle between 90-180 degrees. This dimensional change allows the suction tube to navigate the anatomical pathway of the ureter while maintaining adequate working length for stone removal, effectively utilizing the curved space within the ureteral pathway rather than requiring a straight-line approach.
2Productivity
If a larger working channel is used to accommodate both ureteroscope and suction tube, then simultaneous stone fragmentation and suction is enabled, but invasive incision becomes necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The suction tube is nested within the working channel of the ureteroscope, allowing both devices to occupy the same spatial pathway. The suction tube can be advanced through the ureteroscope's working channel and positioned at the distal end, enabling simultaneous stone fragmentation by the laser fiber and suction removal through the nested suction tube without increasing the overall device footprint.
3Device complexity
If a straight suction tube is used, then the device structure is simple, but the suction tube cannot navigate the curved ureteral pathway to reach the kidney
Solution Approach 1:
The suction tube transitions from a straight linear configuration to a curved configuration with a bend angle between 90-180 degrees. This dimensional change allows the suction tube to navigate the anatomical pathway of the ureter while maintaining adequate working length for stone removal, effectively utilizing the curved space within the ureteral pathway rather than requiring a straight-line approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction tube incorporates a flexible section that allows dynamic bending and adaptation to the ureteral pathway anatomy. This flexibility enables the tube to navigate the curved pathway while maintaining its structural integrity and suction capability, transitioning from a rigid straight tube to a dynamically adaptable curved configuration.
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
Enables minimally invasive stone removal by accommodating both ureteroscope and suction tube within the ureteral pathway, allowing for efficient collection of stone fragments and dust without clogging, while maintaining access for other medical devices.
Implementation Method 1
The connection of the modified suction tube portion and the collection cylinder section includes a mesh filter element configured to prevent admittance of kidney stones into the modified suction tube portion of the flexible tubing element
Implementation Method 2
suction applied to the flexible tubing element pulls the kidney stone fragments into the suction tube device
Implementation Method 3
an intra-renal portion of the flexible tubing element includes one or more magnet elements configured to magnetically couple with opposing magnet elements positioned on a distal end portion of a ureteroscope device
Data Source
AI summary
The subject matter described herein includes a kidney stone suction tube device and related methods of use. According to one example, the disclosed subject matter includes a suction tube device comprising a flexible tubing element comprising a modified suction tube portion characterized as having U-shaped hollow lumen channel and an intra-renal portion characterized as having circular shaped lumen channel. The intra-renal portion of the suction tube device further includes a collection cylinder section configured for storing kidney stone fragments. In addition, the connection of the modified suction tube portion and the collection cylinder section includes a mesh filter element configured to prevent admittance of kidney stones into the modified suction tube portion of the flexible tubing element.