Laparoscopic Suturing Instrument Multi-Drive Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally invasive surgical procedures, such as those using trocars, face challenges in suturing due to the difficulty in manipulating needles and sutures through small access ports, which existing instruments do not adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A laparoscopic suturing instrument with a handle, shaft assembly, and end effector featuring grasping arms that can alternately throw and catch a curved needle along a perpendicular or parallel path, accommodating off-plane deviations and providing a secure hold through opposing thread configurations, facilitating suturing in minimally invasive settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If conventional tissue graspers are used for suturing through trocars, then the incision size can be minimized, but the difficulty of manipulating needles and sutures increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument divides the needle manipulation function into two separate grasping arms (first and second needle grasping arms) that can independently grasp and manipulate the needle at different positions. This segmentation allows each arm to perform specific manipulation tasks, making needle handling through small trocars significantly easier while maintaining minimal incision sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an additional degree of freedom by using two independently controllable grasping arms instead of a single grasper. This allows manipulation of the needle in multiple dimensions and orientations, enabling surgeons to perform complex suturing maneuvers through small trocars that would be impossible with conventional single-grasper techniques.
2Device complexity
If a single grasping arm is used to hold the needle, then the device structure is simpler, but the ability to provide secure hold and manipulate needle precisely is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The needle holding function is segmented into two separate grasping arms that can independently secure the needle. This division allows each arm to provide a focused, secure grip on specific portions of the needle, increasing overall holding reliability while maintaining a modular structure that doesn't excessively increase device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines two grasping arms into a single integrated instrument body, merging the functions of needle holding and manipulation into one device. This combination provides secure dual-point needle securing while keeping the overall device structure cohesive and manageable, rather than requiring multiple separate instruments.
3Device complexity
If the needle must remain perfectly in-plane for secure grasping, then the grasping mechanism is simpler, but the ability to accommodate off-plane deviations is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The two grasping arms are designed with independent articulation and positioning capabilities, allowing them to dynamically adjust to needles that are off-plane or at various angles. This dynamic adaptability enables the instrument to securely grasp and manipulate needles in three-dimensional space without requiring perfect in-plane alignment, greatly enhancing versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The grasping mechanism allows for changes in grasping parameters such as arm angle, grip position, and force distribution to accommodate needles at different orientations and positions. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the instrument can securely grasp off-plane needles without increasing fundamental device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus comprises a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector assembly, and a drive assembly. The body may include a handpiece with an integral motor. The shaft assembly may include two pairs of concentric shafts. The end effector assembly may include arms that selectively grasp and release a suturing needle. The drive assembly is operable to drive the end effector assembly via the shaft assembly. The drive assembly is operable to convert a single rotary input into at least two rotary outputs. In some versions, the drive assembly comprises a plurality of shaft assemblies that include an input shaft, a first output shaft, a second output shaft, and a third output shaft. The drive assembly is operable to selectively rotate and hold the shaft assemblies in accordance with a predetermined sequence, such as to perform tissue suturing through a trocar in a minimally invasive surgical procedure.