Magnetic Endoscopic Guide Anchoring With Fast Ferrofluid Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopic guides with magnetic anchoring systems face issues such as kinking, lengthy filling and emptying times, formation of clusters, excessive viscosity, and risk of tissue damage due to friction, making them inefficient and risky for colonoscopy procedures.
Innovation Solution
An endoscopic guide system using a tubular element with an expandable container for a ferromagnetic agent, such as an aqueous suspension of carbonyl iron, and an external magnetic field source, allowing quick and stable anchoring without occluding the lumen, with reduced kinking and operator effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an inflatable balloon is used for anchoring the guide, then the guide can remain blocked in place, but the lumen is completely occluded and the balloon may cause tissue damage due to friction and excessive pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical friction-based anchoring system with a magnetic field-based anchoring system. The guide incorporates a magnetic fluid-filled balloon that can be anchored by applying an external magnetic field, eliminating the need for mechanical friction between the balloon and tissue. This substitution resolves the contradiction by providing reliable anchoring without the harmful friction and pressure effects of traditional mechanical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the anchoring mechanism by using a magnetic fluid (ferrofluid) instead of air or standard fluid. This allows the balloon to be anchored through magnetic field interaction rather than mechanical pressure, fundamentally changing how the anchoring force is applied and eliminating tissue damage caused by excessive pressure and friction.
2Strength
If the guide is made of rigid material to support the mass of the colonoscope, then adequate support is provided, but the rigid tip could damage the viscera
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making different parts of the guide have different properties. The guide has a flexible body for safe navigation through the colon, while incorporating a magnetic anchoring mechanism that provides localized rigidity and support only where needed (at the anchoring point). This resolves the contradiction by providing strength where required without compromising the flexibility needed to avoid tissue damage.
3Reliability
If magnetic fluid with high concentration of magnetizable particles is used for anchoring, then adequate anchoring force is obtained, but the fluid becomes excessively viscous causing lengthy filling and emptying times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the parameters of the magnetic fluid by selecting specific particle size ranges (0.5-5 micrometers) and concentration levels (5-20% by weight) that balance magnetic responsiveness with fluid流动性. This parameter optimization allows the fluid to provide adequate anchoring force while maintaining low enough viscosity for quick filling and emptying operations, resolving the contradiction between anchoring strength and operational speed.
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
The system enables rapid and stable insertion of colonoscopes to the caecum with reduced risk of kinking and tissue damage, ensuring quick filling and emptying of the expandable container, and is affordable and simple to manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
the endoscopy system further comprises a ferromagnetic agent configured to be movable in said longitudinal cavity to fill/empty the container
Implementation Method 2
an aqueous suspension of carbonyl iron
Data Source
Figure 1A~2
Figure 3~4B
Figure 5~7
AI summary
The present invention relates to an endoscopic guide, particularly suitable for application in colonoscopy. In particular, the invention is directed to an endoscopy system, in particular for colonoscopy, comprising: - an endoscopic guide, in particular for colonoscopes, comprising a tubular guide element (1) and an anchoring head (2), wherein the tubular guide element (1) comprises a longitudinal cavity (3), the anchoring head (2) being provided with an expandable container (4) configured to accommodate a ferromagnetic agent, the expandable container (4) being in communication with said longitudinal cavity (3), wherein the endoscopy system further comprises a ferromagnetic agent configured to be movable in said longitudinal cavity to fill/empty the expandable container (4), characterized in that the ferromagnetic agent is an aqueous suspension of carbonyl iron.