Surgical Needle Bender With Grooved Radius Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for bending surgical suture needles and trocars are inefficient and risky, as they often require manual force, leading to potential needle sticks and contamination, and may not allow for reliable adjustment of the needle's radius, increasing the risk of injury and tissue disruption.
Innovation Solution
A needle bender device with a base, shaper, and leverage arm that allows for controlled bending of needles by rotating them into pre-defined grooves, minimizing contact with the needle point and enabling secure locking and release, thus allowing for precise adjustment of the needle's radius without manual force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual force and non-specific surgical instruments are used to bend needles, then the procedure can be performed with simple tools, but the risk of needle sticks and contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specialized needle bender device as an intermediary tool between the surgeon and the needle. This device includes a needle receiving channel that guides the needle through a controlled bending path, and a pressing member that applies force at a safe distance from the sharp tip. The intermediary structure allows the surgeon to bend the needle without direct contact with the sharp end, eliminating needle stick risks while maintaining procedural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The needle bender device is designed as a disposable, single-use instrument that can be discarded after one use. This eliminates the need for complex sterilization procedures and ensures that each device is sterile when used. The disposable nature maintains simplicity while preventing contamination, as each new device is guaranteed sterile without requiring reprocessing
2Device complexity
If manual bending methods are used, then the procedure requires minimal equipment, but the radius of the needle cannot be reliably adjusted
Solution Approach 1:
The needle bender incorporates pre-formed guide grooves or curved surfaces within the needle receiving channel that correspond to specific radius values. These pre-defined paths allow the needle to be bent to precise, predetermined radii without requiring the surgeon to estimate or repeatedly adjust the bend. The preliminary structuring of the bending path ensures consistent, reliable results while keeping the device simple
Solution Approach 2:
The device includes an adjustable pressing member that can be positioned at different locations along the needle receiving channel, allowing dynamic selection of bending radius. The pressing member can be moved to engage different sections of the needle shaft, enabling reliable adjustment to multiple radius values while maintaining a simple, single-device structure
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple bends are required to achieve the desired radius, then flexibility in adjustment is possible, but the chance of injury to surgeon and staff increases
Solution Approach 1:
The needle receiving channel is segmented into multiple stationary positioning zones or guide sections, each corresponding to a different desired radius. Instead of requiring repeated bending attempts, the needle can be positioned in the appropriate segment for the required radius in a single operation. This segmentation provides adaptability while eliminating the need for multiple adjustments that increase injury risk
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 reduces the risk of needle sticks and contamination, allows for precise and controlled bending of needles, and enables reliable adjustment of the needle's radius, minimizing tissue disruption and surgical risks, while maintaining sterility during procedures.
Implementation Method 1
A leverage arm can be rotatably coupled to the support member for rotation about an axis. The leverage arm may have a needle slide disposed at one end that is configured to support at least a portion of a needle to be bent. The leverage arm may then be actuated toward the base thereby moving the needle slide to push the needle into the groove of the shaper and forming the needle to the desired needle bend radius
Implementation Method 2
The needle bender may include a lock plate between the base arm and the shaper. The lock plate may be secured to the base through one or more set screws. The set screws can be turned to raise the lock plate toward the shaper and lower the lock plate away from the shaper. Once a needle is inserted along the base, the set screws can move the lock plate upward to further secure the needle to the shaper. After the needle has been bent to the desired needle bend radius, the set screws can move the lock plate downward to release the needle from the shaper
Data Source
AI summary
A needle bender for custom bending of needles to different desired needle bend radii is provided. The needle bender can include abase and a shaper coupled to the base through a support member. The shaper may have a plurality of grooves corresponding to different desired needle bend radii. A leverage arm with a needle slide disposed on one end may be rotatably coupled to the support arm. When a needle is inserted along the base into one of the grooves in the shaper and at least partially into the needle slide, the leverage arm can be actuated toward the base to thereby bend the needle to the desired needle bend radius. The needle bender may also include a lock plate between the base and the shaper that can be actuated toward the shaper to further secure the needle to the shaper.