Microsurgical Tool for Selective Nerve Block in Cancer Pain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cancer treatments for pain management and tumor control, particularly in cases of perineural invasion, often result in significant side effects and complications, and are ineffective in long-term tumor growth control, with existing methods like opioids, radiotherapy, and neurolytic celiac plexus blocks posing risks and limitations.
Innovation Solution
A system involving a catheter or guidewire with a distal tip configured to deliver energy or substances to nerves near a tumor, using thermal, RF, or chemical agents to interrupt neural traffic, monitor electrophysiological activity, and apply stress tests to assess and treat cancer-related pain and tumor growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If conventional surgical techniques are used to access deep-seated tumors, then tumor accessibility is improved, but trauma to surrounding healthy tissue including nerves and lymphatic ducts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical system is divided into separate functional modules: a microsurgical tool for precise mechanical intervention, a delivery tool for targeted therapy application, and a sensor system for real-time monitoring. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function with minimal interference to surrounding tissues, enabling deep tumor access while protecting healthy structures like nerves and lymphatic ducts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies localized treatment at the tumor site through the distal tip of the microsurgical tool, which can deliver therapy directly to the target region. The sensor system also provides localized monitoring of specific parameters at the treatment site, allowing precise control of the therapeutic effect while minimizing impact on surrounding healthy tissue.
2Power
If larger surgical tools are used to deliver therapy to deep tumors, then therapy delivery capability is improved, but ability to access narrow lumens such as nerves and lymphatic ducts deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery tool is designed to be inserted within or alongside the microsurgical tool, allowing both tools to access the same narrow lumen simultaneously. The sensor system can also be integrated with or attached to the microsurgical tool, creating a nested configuration that maximizes the functionality of each component while maintaining access to narrow lumens and deep target regions.
3Length of moving object
If extensive surgical intervention is performed to reach deep-seated tumors, then tumor accessibility is improved, but surgical time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary positioning and navigation before the actual therapy delivery. The sensor system can pre-map the anatomical structures and identify the optimal treatment path, allowing the microsurgical tool to be quickly positioned at the target site without extensive exploratory surgery. This preliminary action reduces overall surgical time while maintaining deep tumor accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system acts as an intermediary between the surgeon and the deep target region, providing real-time feedback about the tool's position and the local tissue conditions. This intermediary function allows for more efficient navigation to deep tumors by reducing the need for trial-and-error positioning and minimizing the time required to achieve precise placement.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is disclosed an apparatus comprising: a microsurgical tool dimensioned for insertion into a lumen with a wall, the lumen being in fluid communication with a target region of a subject; the microsurgical tool comprising: a distal tip configured to interface with the wall of the lumen, the distal tip comprising one or more delivery means configured to apply a block to the target region, the distal tip having one or more dimensions configured to facilitate placement into the lumen of a target region comprising at least one of one or more nerves and one or more lymphatic ducts coupled to at least one of a tumor and a metastatic cell within a body of the subject; and one or more sensors configured to measure an extent of the block on the target region.