Microbiopsy Device With Segmented Cutting Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional biopsy methods are invasive, painful, and risky, especially when multiple lesions need evaluation, and they require multiple steps, often resulting in significant tissue removal and potential complications like bleeding and scarring, while diagnosing infectious diseases poses risks due to needle injuries and biosafety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A microbiopsy device with two or more opposed, spaced cutting elements that form a biological sample of less than 1 mm width, allowing for a single-step procedure with a chamber to retain the sample, minimizing tissue damage and incorporating a modular design for various applications, including molecular diagnostics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional biopsy methods (punch biopsy, shave biopsy, excision biopsy) are used, then tissue samples can be obtained for diagnosis, but the tissue removal is significant (width of a few millimetres) causing pain, bleeding, and scarring
Solution Approach 1:
The biopsy device divides the cutting function into multiple cutting elements (at least two) that work together to create a small biopsy sample. This segmentation allows the device to cut through tissue effectively while maintaining a very small sample width of less than 1 mm, thereby reducing the harmful effects of pain, bleeding, and scarring associated with conventional larger biopsies.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting elements are designed with specific local geometries (tapered sections with cutting edges) concentrated at the biopsy tip. This local quality concentration allows effective tissue cutting in a highly localized area while leaving the surrounding tissue intact, enabling minimal invasive biopsy with reduced collateral damage.
2Productivity
If conventional punch biopsy is used, then tissue core can be removed, but the procedure requires multiple steps (raising the core with tweezers or needle, then cutting from underlying tissue)
Solution Approach 1:
The device merges multiple biopsy functions into a single integrated tool. The cutting elements and sample retention chamber work together in one device, allowing the biopsy sample to be cut and retained in a single step without requiring separate actions for raising the core or cutting it free, thereby simplifying the procedure and improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The biopsy device performs self-service by automatically retaining the cut sample within its chamber. After the cutting elements create the biopsy sample, the chamber structure automatically captures and holds the sample without requiring additional manual manipulation with tweezers or needles, reducing procedural complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple lesions require evaluation, then comprehensive diagnosis can be achieved, but the risks (bleeding, pain, infection, scarring) multiply with each biopsy
Solution Approach 1:
The device enables segmentation of the biopsy process into very small, controlled samples (less than 1 mm width) that can be taken from multiple lesions with minimal cumulative trauma. The small sample size reduces the harmful effects at each biopsy site, allowing evaluation of multiple lesions while keeping cumulative risks of bleeding, pain, infection, and scarring manageable.
4Reliability
If blood samples are taken for infectious disease diagnosis, then pathogen identification can be achieved, but needle injuries and biosafety risks occur
Solution Approach 1:
The device extracts biological material (such as interstitial fluid or tissue samples) directly from the skin surface or superficial tissue without requiring needle puncture of blood vessels. This extraction method achieves sufficient material for pathogen detection while eliminating the needle injury risks and biosafety concerns associated with traditional blood sampling.
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 device enables minimally invasive, efficient sampling with reduced pain and scarring, facilitating quicker procedures and more samples across larger areas, while being suitable for molecular analysis, including skin cancer and infectious disease diagnostics.
Implementation Method 1
two or more opposed, spaced cutting elements for cutting tissue to form a biological sample
Data Source
Figure 1(a)
Figure 1(b)
Figure 1(c)~1(c)(iv)
AI summary
A microbiopsy device for taking biological samples, comprising a body including two or more cutting elements for cutting tissue to form a biological sample; and a chamber inside the body for receiving and retaining the biological sample, the chamber having an opening between the cutting elements, wherein the cutting elements are arranged to cut a section of tissue having a width of less than 1 mm.