Low Profile Endocavity Needle Guide One-Handed Clamp
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endocavity needle guides for medical imaging instruments are often bulky, require two hands to lock in place, and are not designed for a low profile, making them inconvenient for precise and comfortable use during procedures.
Innovation Solution
A low-profile endocavity needle guide device with a clamp assembly that includes a pivotable first clamp member, a stationary second clamp member, and a slidable locking member, allowing for one-handed mounting and adjustment to accommodate different transducer sizes, with a funnel-shaped proximal end for easy needle insertion and a stand-off projection for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If commercially available endocavity needle guides use hinged clamps with thumbscrews or over-center latches to secure the guide to the probe, then the needle guide can be reliably mounted on the probe, but the structure extends far outward creating a bulky profile that causes patient discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp assembly is divided into a stationary clamp member attached to the needle guide and a separate movable clamp member that pivots to engage the probe. This segmentation allows the locking mechanism to be compact while maintaining reliable mounting through the interaction between the two clamp members.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable clamp member is designed to nest within or alongside the stationary clamp member when closed, creating a compact low-profile structure. The clamp members are positioned to overlap or interlock, minimizing the overall extension outward from the needle guide body.
2Reliability
If hinged clamps with thumbscrews are used to secure the needle guide, then reliable mounting is achieved, but two hands are required to lock the guide in place increasing procedural time
Solution Approach 1:
The movable clamp member is designed to be actuated by a single hand through a simple pivot motion. The clamp members are configured so that the user can open and close the clamp by manipulating one handle, making the system self-sufficient for one-handed operation without requiring assistance from a second hand.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp assembly incorporates a movable clamp member that can pivot between open and closed positions. This dynamic mechanism allows rapid engagement and disengagement of the needle guide with a single hand motion, significantly reducing mounting time compared to static clamp designs.
3Ease of operation
If hand-held direction of a needle is used during biopsy, then flexibility is maintained, but accuracy and time efficiency are inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The needle guide device serves multiple functions: it provides a fixed guide pathway for accurate needle positioning, maintains the needle at a predetermined orientation relative to the transducer, and allows for easy attachment and removal. This multi-functionality replaces the need for manual hand-held direction while preserving operational flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A low profile endocavity needle guide device for an ultrasonic probe is disclosed. The device includes a needle guide and a clamp assembly. The needle guide is a tubular member configured to enable an elongated needle to be extended through it. The clamp assembly includes a first clamp member, a second clamp member and a slidable member. The first clamp member is pivotable with respect to the second clamp member between an engagement position and a release position, and vice versa. The slidable member is mounted on the first clamp member and includes a low profile projection which engages a ramped surface of the first clamp member to pivot the first clamp member to the engagement position when the projection is slid up the ramped surface, and to enable the first clamp member to move to the release position when the projection is slid down the ramp surface.