Monochromatic Light Refractivity for Surgical Tissue Characterization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical systems face challenges in efficiently managing the integration and communication of multiple surgical devices and instruments within a sterile field while maintaining sterility, leading to inefficiencies and potential disruptions during procedures.
Innovation Solution
A modular surgical hub system that integrates a combo generator module with bipolar, ultrasonic, and monopolar components, along with a smoke evacuation module and suction/irrigation module, facilitates quick removal and replacement of modules, and enables interactive communication between energy generators, while a visualization system coordinates information flow between sterile and non-sterile fields using a hub to enhance surgical efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple surgical devices and instruments are integrated within a sterile field, then surgical functionality is enhanced, but line entanglement and sterility maintenance become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical system is divided into separate functional modules (energy generator, smoke evacuator, insufflator, etc.), each with dedicated connection points. This segmentation allows organized routing of power, data, and fluid lines through modular interfaces, reducing entanglement while maintaining comprehensive surgical functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
A centralized hub or controller acts as an intermediary between multiple surgical devices and the sterile field. This hub coordinates communication and resource distribution, organizing the complex network of lines and connections into a manageable system that enhances functionality without proportionally increasing operational complexity.
2Loss of information
If multiple surgical devices communicate within the sterile field, then real-time data processing is improved, but system complexity and communication coordination become more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical devices utilize standardized universal communication protocols and interfaces that enable real-time data exchange across different device types. This universality allows comprehensive data collection from multiple sources without requiring complex custom integration for each device pair, reducing communication coordination complexity while maintaining real-time processing capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements centralized feedback loops where the hub or controller collects real-time data from all connected surgical devices, processes information centrally, and distributes appropriate feedback signals. This centralized feedback architecture enables comprehensive real-time monitoring and coordination without requiring complex peer-to-peer communication between all device pairs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If modules are quickly removable and replaceable, then system adaptability is improved, but connection reliability and sterility maintenance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs clearly defined modular interfaces with standardized connection protocols. Each module has dedicated connection points that ensure reliable electrical, mechanical, and fluid connections during attachment and detachment operations. This segmented modular design enables quick module replacement while maintaining connection reliability through engineered interface standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular interfaces are pre-configured with alignment features, keyed connections, and pre-sterilized interface components. These preliminary preparations ensure that when modules are quickly attached or detached, the connections are automatically properly aligned and sealed, maintaining both reliability and sterility without requiring complex manual adjustment during the replacement operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical image acquisition system includes multiple illumination sources, each source emitting light at a specified wavelength, a light sensor to receive light reflected from a tissue sample illuminated by each of the illumination sources, and a computing system. The computing system may receive data from the light sensor when the tissue sample is illuminated by the illumination sources, and calculate structural data related to one or more characteristics of a structure within the tissue. The structural data may be a surface characteristic such as a surface roughness or a structure composition such as a collagen and elastin composition. The computer system may further transmit the structural data to a smart surgical device. The smart devices may include a smart stapler, a smart RF sealing device, or a smart ultrasonic cutting device. The system may include a controller and computer enabled instructions to accomplish the above.