Modular Surgical System Rail Mechanism for Reusable Cannula
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Reusable surgical instruments face challenges such as labor-intensive cleaning procedures, risk of contamination, and complex disassembly requirements, which discourage their use and increase costs due to the need for new instruments for each procedure.
Innovation Solution
A modular surgical system with a reusable handle assembly, steerable cannula assembly, and rail mechanism, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly of components, enabling clean and sterile surfaces for each use while reducing the complexity of cleaning and training requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If reusable surgical instruments are used to reduce costs, then instrumentation costs per procedure are reduced, but cleaning procedures become labor intensive and contamination risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical instrument is divided into multiple separable components including a handle assembly, a shaft assembly, and a surgical element assembly. Each component can be independently removed, cleaned, and sterilized, making the cleaning process more manageable and less labor-intensive while maintaining reusability to reduce costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical element (such as a knife or electrode) is designed to be removable from the shaft assembly. This allows the critical tissue-contacting portion to be easily extracted for sterilization or replacement, simplifying the cleaning procedure while enabling instrument reuse.
2Loss of substance
If reusable surgical instruments are used to reduce costs, then instrumentation costs per procedure are reduced, but risk of contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the instrument into separable components, each part can be individually sterilized using appropriate methods. The modular design allows for complete disassembly and thorough sterilization of all tissue-contacting surfaces, reducing contamination risk while maintaining cost-effective reusability.
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument includes replaceable surgical elements that can be discarded after a certain number of uses or if contamination is suspected, while the more expensive handle and shaft assemblies are recovered and reused after proper sterilization. This hybrid approach manages contamination risk while controlling costs.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If removable and replaceable components are added to provide clean surfaces, then contamination risk is reduced, but disassembly and reassembly procedures become arduous and require extensive training
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument is segmented into three main assemblies (handle, shaft, and surgical element) that connect through simple mechanical interfaces. These interfaces are designed to be intuitive and easy to engage/disengage, reducing the complexity of assembly procedures while still enabling complete disassembly for sterilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical element is designed as a simple insertable component that can be removed and replaced without complex tools or procedures. This extraction design allows for easy replacement of contaminated elements while keeping the overall assembly process simple and training requirements minimal.
4Ease of operation
If modular components with releasable coupling are used, then ease of cleaning is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The modular structure divides the instrument into cleanable segments with simple connection interfaces. The handle assembly, shaft assembly, and surgical element assembly are designed to separate easily for cleaning while reconnecting securely, making cleaning easier without requiring excessive structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical mating mechanisms are designed with universal features that allow the same coupling design to be used across different surgical elements and shafts. This standardization reduces overall device complexity while maintaining ease of assembly and disassembly for cleaning purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical system is provided including a reusable handle assembly having a controller and a reusable cannula assembly configured to be operatively connected to and steerable by the reusable handle assembly. The surgical system also includes a rail mechanism configured to cooperate with a port inserted through an incision, the rail mechanism mechanically attached to a stable platform. A plurality of surgical instruments are configured to be inserted through the reusable handle assembly and configured to advance a length of the reusable cannula assembly, such that the plurality of surgical instruments are engaged with at least one trigger mechanism of the reusable handle assembly. The handle assembly, the cannula assembly, and the plurality of surgical instruments are modular components configured to be releasably coupled to each other. The reusable cannula assembly slidably engages the rail mechanism to extend through the port and into the incision.