Needle Camera Adaptor for Minimally Invasive Suture Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for delivering curved suture needles through smaller diameter cannulas in minimally invasive surgery are either unsafe, cause tissue damage, or require complex and costly manufacturing processes, as they often lack visualization during needle passage and removal, and may result in malformed needles.
Innovation Solution
A needle camera adaptor that allows continuous visualization of the suture needle during passage and removal through a cannula, featuring a tube-shaped body with a lateral access opening and oblique needle securing channel, which secures the needle and prevents accidental punctures, while also providing suture retrieval slots to prevent snagging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a curved suture needle is delivered through a small diameter cannula without visualization, then the needle can be delivered through the cannula, but the surgeon cannot see the needle passage which may cause tissue damage or needle loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the needle delivery function and visualization function into a single integrated adaptor system. The adaptor receives the curved needle and simultaneously allows endoscopic visualization of the needle passage through the cannula, eliminating the need for separate visualization equipment and reducing overall system complexity while improving safety
Solution Approach 2:
The adaptor serves as an intermediary device between the needle and the cannula. It provides a controlled interface that guides the needle through the cannula while allowing visual monitoring, thus mediating the interaction between the needle delivery system and the minimally invasive access pathway
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the cannula diameter is reduced to minimize patient trauma, then patient trauma is reduced, but curved suture needles cannot be delivered through the smaller cannula
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the needle delivery system into distinct functional components: the adaptor body, the needle receiving channel, and the visualization interface. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the adaptor can be made small enough for minimally invasive access while containing the necessary structures to accommodate and guide curved needles
Solution Approach 2:
The adaptor introduces a new spatial dimension for needle accommodation by creating an oblique needle securing channel that angles relative to the adaptor axis. This dimensional change allows curved needles to be positioned and guided through the cannula in a configuration that fits within small diameter constraints while maintaining needle functionality
3Ease of operation
If the needle is manually bent to pass through a small cannula, then the needle can be passed through the cannula, but the needle becomes malformed and more likely to break
Solution Approach 1:
The adaptor is prepared in advance with a pre-configured oblique needle securing channel that is specifically designed to receive and properly position curved needles. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for manual needle bending during the procedure, allowing surgeons to simply insert the needle into the pre-formed channel where it will be automatically positioned correctly for cannula passage
4Ease of operation
If the trocar cannula is removed to pass the needle directly through the incision, then the needle can be inserted, but the surgeon cannot find the original incision path and may cause additional tissue damage
Solution Approach 1:
The adaptor integrates visualization capability that provides real-time feedback to the surgeon during needle passage. The endoscopic view allows the surgeon to see the needle as it travels through the cannula and incision path, providing visual feedback that ensures the needle follows the correct trajectory and prevents deviation that would cause additional tissue damage or loss of the original incision site
Data Source
AI summary
A needle camera adaptor includes a tube-shaped body having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, and a lumen that extends along the longitudinal axis. A centrally-located lateral access opening is formed in an outer wall of the tube-shaped body. A needle securing channel is formed in the outer wall and extends between the lateral access opening and the distal end of the tube-shaped body. A curved suture needle is disposed within the needle securing channel. The needle securing channel and the curved suture needle extend along an axis that defines an oblique angle with the longitudinal axis of the needle camera adaptor. A visualization device, facing distally, is positioned within the lumen at the proximal end of the tube-shaped body. The lateral access opening, the needle securing channel, and the curved suture needle are located within a field of view of the visualization device.