Laparoscopic Grasper with External Magnetic Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally-invasive surgical procedures face challenges in manipulating tissue without crowding access sites, as additional devices required for tissue manipulation can necessitate larger or additional incisions.
Innovation Solution
The use of a grasper configured for insertion into a patient, a delivery device to actuate the grasper, and a magnetic control element positioned externally to manipulate the grasper and attached tissue, allowing for remote traction and manipulation without the need for additional devices within the access site.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional devices are introduced to engage tissue for manipulation, then tissue manipulation capability is improved, but access site crowding increases requiring larger or additional incisions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control mechanism from the access site by using an external magnetic control assembly that operates remotely. The grasper device itself is simplified to contain only the essential grasping elements and magnetic responsive material, while the complex control functions are moved outside the body through the magnetic field interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a magnetic field as an intermediary between the external control assembly and the internal grasper device. This magnetic field mediator allows for remote actuation of the grasper without requiring mechanical connections or additional access sites, thus avoiding access site crowding while maintaining full manipulation capability.
2Length of moving object
If a magnetic control element is used to manipulate the grasper remotely, then access site size is reduced, but control precision over the grasper may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes changes in magnetic field parameters (strength, direction, gradient) to achieve precise control of the grasper. By modulating these magnetic parameters dynamically, the system can achieve fine positional and orientational control of the grasper tips despite the remote actuation mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the position and orientation of the grasper are monitored (through imaging or sensors) and this information is used to adjust the magnetic control field in real-time, ensuring precise control and compensation for any deviations in grasper positioning.
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
This approach enables effective manipulation of tissue during minimally-invasive procedures without increasing the size or number of incisions, thereby reducing patient trauma and recovery time.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic control assembly configured to generate a magnetic field and apply a force to the grasper with the magnetic field
Data Source
AI summary
Described here are systems, devices, and methods for providing remote manipulation or traction to tissue using one or more graspers, delivery devices, and magnetic control assemblies. The graspers may be configured for insertion into the patient during a minimally-invasive procedure, such as a laparoscopic operation. The graspers may be configured to releasably connect to tissue. In some embodiments, the grasper may comprise a clip, a clamp, a suction device, a coil, or the like, and may be configured to connect to any suitable tissue. Delivery devices may be configured to releasably engage a grasper to deliver the grasper, remove it from the patient, or reposition it. The delivery devices may additionally be configured to actuate the grasper to attach it to tissue and/or detach it from tissue. The magnetic control elements may be configured to be positioned externally of the body to move, reposition, and/or hold the grasper.