Multi-Needle Spinal Drug Delivery for Precise Single-Session Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drug delivery systems for the spine require precise needle placement in multiple locations, which is time-consuming and prone to errors, leading to increased radiation exposure for both patients and healthcare staff due to the need to handle each needle independently.
Innovation Solution
A drug delivery system comprising a needle guide, port multiplier, and tubes, which allows for simultaneous insertion and accurate placement of multiple needles, connected to a syringe for delivering medication through the spine, reducing handling errors and radiation exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If physicians handle one needle at a time for spinal injection, then they can ensure precise needle placement through fluoroscope guidance, but the procedure becomes time-consuming and increases radiation exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple needles into a single assembled unit that can be inserted simultaneously into the spine. This merging of multiple needle handling operations into one single procedure maintains fluoroscope-guided precision for each needle while dramatically reducing the total time required and cumulative radiation exposure, as all needles are placed in one fluoroscopic session rather than requiring multiple separate needle insertions
2Reliability
If physicians handle one needle at a time for spinal injection, then they can control each insertion independently, but the procedure is prone to handling errors and requires repeated fluoroscopic positioning
Solution Approach 1:
By assembling multiple needles into a single unit with controlled orientation, the patent maintains injection accuracy through fluoroscope guidance while limiting radiation exposure to one fluoroscopic session. The combined needle assembly ensures that all needles are positioned accurately in their respective target locations during a single procedural intervention, eliminating the need for repeated fluoroscopic positioning that would occur with separate needle handleing
3Productivity
If multiple needles are inserted simultaneously using a coordinated system, then procedural time is reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the needle assembly into distinct functional components: individual needles for injection, a coordinating guide structure for positioning, and an orientation mechanism for controlling needle angles. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while maintaining overall system manageability. The guide structure provides a framework that simplifies the coordination of multiple needles, making the increased productivity achievable without proportionally increasing operational complexity
4Measurement precision
If multiple needles are handled separately, then each needle can be positioned independently, but it increases the number of fluoroscopic interventions required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple independent needle positioning operations into a single fluoroscopic intervention. By inserting a coordinated assembly of multiple needles simultaneously under fluoroscopic guidance, the system achieves the placement precision of individual needle positioning while concentrating all radiation exposure into one shorter procedure rather than requiring multiple separate fluoroscopic sessions for each needle
Data Source
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AI summary
A drug delivery system comprising: a plurality of needles; a needle guide for guiding and holding the plurality of needles during insertion into a patient's spine; a syringe containing a drug which is to be delivered into the patient's spine; a port multiplier comprising an inlet port connectable to the syringe and a plurality of outlet ports; and a plurality of tubes for providing fluid connections between the outlet ports of the port multiplier and the plurality of needles.