Bone Marrow Aspiration Needle Assembly With Depth-Limiting Sheath

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing needle assemblies used for procedures like bone marrow biopsies and pedicle screw placement risk damaging nearby nerves or blood vessels due to improper depth control, and may crack bones, leading to potential complications.

Innovation Solution

A needle assembly with an inner shaft and an adjustable outer sheath that limits further advancement into the bone, combined with elongate filters on the shaft to enhance surface area contact and filter bone particulate, ensuring precise depth control and efficient marrow extraction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the needle is inserted deeper to reach the target location, then the aspiration effectiveness is improved, but the risk of damaging nerves or blood vessels increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaspiration effectivenessVSAvoidnerve damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sheath is pre-positioned at a safe depth before needle insertion, establishing a depth limit in advance. This preliminary positioning prevents the needle from advancing too deep and damaging nerves or blood vessels while still allowing sufficient insertion for effective aspiration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sheath acts as an intermediary depth-control mechanism between the needle and the bone. It provides a physical barrier that limits needle advancement to a safe depth, mediating between the need for deep insertion and the risk of tissue damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the needle is inserted deeper to reach the target location, then the aspiration effectiveness is improved, but the risk of cracking bones increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaspiration effectivenessVSAvoidbone cracking risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sheath is pre-positioned at a depth that prevents excessive penetration into the bone. This preliminary depth limitation avoids applying too much force to the bone structure, thereby preventing cracks while still enabling effective marrow aspiration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sheath serves as an intermediary that controls the transmission of insertion force to the bone. By limiting the needle's depth, it prevents excessive forces from reaching the bone, reducing the risk of cracking while maintaining aspiration effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If filters are added to the needle assembly to filter bone particulate, then the marrow extraction efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemarrow extraction efficiencyVSAvoidneedle assembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The filters are merged with the needle assembly structure, integrating the filtration function into the existing device. This combination allows marrow extraction efficiency to be improved without requiring separate filtration equipment, thus limiting the increase in overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The needle assembly is given multiple functions: it serves as both the aspiration device and the filtration device. The filters are positioned within the needle assembly to filter bone particulate from the marrow sample, allowing a single device to perform both aspiration and filtration tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If filters are added to the needle assembly to filter bone particulate, then the cell viability and concentration are improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecell viabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The filters are integrated into the needle assembly manufacturing process, combining multiple functions into a single device. This merging approach improves cell viability through effective filtration while limiting the increase in manufacturing complexity by using the existing needle assembly structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 solution provides precise depth control, reducing the risk of nerve damage and bone cracking while allowing for efficient extraction of bone marrow with high cell viability and concentration, potentially eliminating the need for additional filtration steps.

Implementation Method 1

The filters can be sized to filter bone particulate, for example to prevent spicules and bone from being extracted

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS20250345047A1Needle assembly for bone marrow aspiration

Publication Date: 2025.11.13 SURGENTEC LLC

AI summary

A target needle assembly can include a needle for forming a tunnel in bone and a cannula with filters for extracting bone marrow and bone cells from the bone. The needle can be formed at the end of the cannula. The needle can be a separate piece inside the cannula. The cannula can have filters for draining bone marrow into a lumen of the cannula. The filters can be sized to filter bone particulate.