Needle Delivery Pincher for Minimally Invasive Spinal Suturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical devices fail to facilitate easy and effective suturing of dural tears during minimally invasive spinal surgery due to the narrow diameter of tubular retractors, making it difficult to perform delicate suturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A suture needle delivery device with an elongated pincher having opposing rails that slides within a channel, allowing for the precise delivery and release of needles through a tubular retractor, enabling surgeons to suture dural tears efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a tubular retractor with narrow diameter is used for minimally invasive spinal surgery, then the minimally invasive approach is maintained and anatomical structures are preserved, but the ability to perform delicate suturing to repair dural tears becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The needle delivery device is nested within the tubular retractor, with the pincher mechanism and needle channel contained inside the retractor's narrow diameter structure. This allows the suturing function to be delivered through the constrained space without requiring larger access channels that would compromise the minimally invasive approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle delivery device acts as an intermediary tool that bridges the gap between the narrow retractor space and the requirement for effective needle delivery. The pincher mechanism serves as a mediator that can grasp, position, and release needles precisely within the confined space, enabling suturing capability without expanding the retractor diameter.
2Ease of operation
If the tubular retractor diameter is increased to facilitate suturing, then the ability to perform delicate suturing improves, but the minimally invasive nature of the procedure is compromised and more anatomical structures are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The needle delivery device is segmented into distinct functional components: the pincher mechanism for grasping, the channel for needle transport, and the release mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function within the narrow retractor space, achieving effective suturing without requiring overall device enlargement.
Solution Approach 2:
The device utilizes the longitudinal dimension of the retractor by extending the pincher and needle channel along the retractor's length rather than requiring increased radial diameter. The needle is delivered through the length of the retractor, allowing the device to maintain a compact cross-section while providing full suturing functionality.
3Device complexity
If a traditional suturing approach is used without a specialized delivery device, then the device complexity is reduced, but the precision and effectiveness of needle delivery through the narrow retractor is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The pincher mechanism is designed to automatically grasp the needle when positioned against it, and the spring-loaded system automatically releases the needle when the pincher is retracted. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex manual control systems while maintaining precise needle delivery through the narrow retractor.
Solution Approach 2:
The device utilizes changes in the pincher's position (extended vs. retracted) and the spring's compression state to control needle delivery and release. These parameter changes provide precise control over the needle's movement through the retractor without requiring complex mechanical systems, balancing simplicity with precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A needle delivery device that has particular application for providing needles for minimally invasive spinal surgical procedures. The device includes an elongated pincher having opposing rails that is slidable within a channel defined in an extended base portion. Widened end portions of the rails hold the needle and push it out of an end of the device where it is released. The pincher is then retracted to a location where the end portions can pick up a next needle to be delivered.