Micro-Invasive Tissue Cutting Device With Protected Blade Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional devices for treating trigger finger, such as those using a hook blade, often slide off the tendon and require additional tools for insertion, lacking a minimally invasive solution with controlled blade deployment.
Innovation Solution
A tissue cutting device with a first blade for insertion and a rotatable second blade that can be exposed for cutting, featuring a handle, a cover, and break points for controlled separation, allowing minimal invasiveness and precise cutting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hook blade is used to treat trigger finger, then the A1 pulley can be cut to release the tendon, but the hook blade tends to slide off the tendon and requires additional separate devices for insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the insertion function and cutting function into a single integrated device. The first blade serves as both the insertion element and the cutting element, eliminating the need for separate insertion devices and hook blades. This merging resolves the contradiction by reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable tendon engagement through the integrated blade design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a rotatable second blade that can transition between a retracted position (protected by the first blade) and an extended cutting position. This dynamic configuration allows the cutting blade to be deployed only when needed, improving reliability by ensuring proper positioning while maintaining a simple single-device structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If a second cutting blade is added to improve cutting precision, then precise tissue cutting is achieved, but the device structure becomes more complex and the blade needs protection during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested configuration where the second cutting blade is positioned within or alongside the first blade. The first blade acts as a protective sheath or guide for the second blade during insertion, and the second blade can be extended or rotated into position for cutting. This nesting approach provides precise cutting capability while using the existing first blade structure for protection, avoiding additional complex protection mechanisms.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the second blade is kept protected during insertion to ensure safety, then patient safety is improved, but the blade cannot be deployed for cutting without additional mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a dynamic deployment mechanism where the second blade can be rotated or extended from a protected position to an active cutting position. The blade remains retracted and protected during insertion and positioning, then can be easily deployed when needed for cutting. This dynamic configuration improves safety by limiting blade exposure to only when necessary while maintaining ease of operation through a simple rotation or extension action.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a tissue cutting device comprising a handle, a first blade, and a second blade. The second blade is coupled to the handle. The second blade is rotatable relative to the first blade such that the second blade is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position. The second blade is in a same plane as the first blade when the second blade is in the first position. The second blade is rotated into a different plane from the first blade when the second blade is rotated from the first position toward the second position.