Lymph Node Specimen Collection Kit for Lung Cancer Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for diagnosing lung cancer are hindered by a lack of precise lymph node removal and analysis, leading to inadequate communication between surgeons and pathologists, which limits the ability to accurately assess cancer spread and inform effective treatment strategies.
Innovation Solution
A specimen collection kit with coded containers is used to separate and store lymph nodes by specific mediastinal location, facilitating communication and analysis between surgeons and pathologists, ensuring each node is properly identified and examined in relation to its original location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If lymph nodes are removed as a cluster without specific location identification, then the surgical procedure is simplified and faster, but the pathologist cannot accurately assess cancer spread by location and communication between surgeon and pathologist is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the mediastinal region into multiple numbered stations (1-10) and assigns specific lymph nodes to each station. This segmentation allows systematic removal and identification of lymph nodes by location, enabling the pathologist to assess cancer spread by anatomical origin while maintaining surgical efficiency through a structured approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces coded collection containers as an intermediary between the surgeon and pathologist. Each container is labeled with the station number and contains lymph nodes from that specific location. This intermediary system preserves location information without requiring direct verbal communication, solving the communication gap between surgical removal and pathological analysis.
2Measurement precision
If all mediastinal lymph nodes are individually removed and analyzed by location, then cancer spread assessment is improved, but the surgical procedure becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The mediastinum is divided into standardized stations (1-10) with defined anatomical boundaries. This segmentation provides a clear framework for surgeons to systematically identify and remove lymph nodes from each station, making the complex procedure more manageable and less time-consuming while maintaining comprehensive coverage for accurate cancer staging.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a universal staging system (stations 1-10) that can be applied to all mediastinal lymph node removal cases regardless of the specific surgical approach. This standardized framework enables consistent identification and documentation of lymph node locations across different surgeons and institutions, simplifying the overall procedure through repeatability.
3Ease of operation
If lymph nodes are not properly identified by location during removal, then the surgical procedure is simpler, but the pathologist may misplace small lymph nodes and cannot pinpoint cancer growth rate and spread
Solution Approach 1:
The coded collection containers serve as an intermediary that automatically preserves location information. The surgeon simply places each lymph node into the container corresponding to its station number, and the location information is preserved through the container labeling system. This eliminates the need for complex tracking methods while ensuring reliable location identification for each lymph node.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the surgeon to self-document the location of each lymph node through the coded container system. By placing nodes into pre-labeled containers corresponding to their station of origin, the surgeon automatically creates an organized record of location information without requiring additional documentation steps or complex tracking procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A unique system for the correlation between removed lymph nodes for lung cancer diagnosis and pathological analysis thereof is provided. Such a system includes the removal of certain lymph nodes from a suspected or known lung cancer patient with subsequent categorization thereof and placement within a properly divided and labeled specimen collection kit. Through the utilization of such a separation and placement allows and facilitates understanding and non-verbal communication between a surgeon and a pathologist in order to denote the location of the removed lymph nodes in relation to a known or suspected lung cancer tumor or growth. The overall diagnostic method, including the important communicative properties accorded both the particular surgeon and pathologist, is encompassed within this invention, as well as the specific collection specimen kit that permits the surgeon proper distinction of specific removal lymph nodes in relation to their location within the patient's body.