Flexible Needle Distractor Tip for Painful Tissue Entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of needles for medical purposes often causes physical and psychological discomfort due to the pain of needle insertion, which can lead to patient reluctance in accepting treatments involving needles.
Innovation Solution
A distraction device is provided that includes a body attached to the needle device with a resiliently flexible member and a distractor tip, which contacts the tissue surface before and during needle insertion, providing a mild prick sensation to distract the patient from the pain of needle penetration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a needle is inserted directly into tissue, then the needle penetration function is achieved, but the patient experiences pain and psychological discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The distractor tip performs preliminary action by contacting the tissue surface before the needle tip, creating a mild prick sensation that prepares the patient's sensation system and distracts attention from the upcoming needle penetration, thereby reducing pain perception
Solution Approach 2:
The distractor tip acts as an intermediary element between the operator and the patient's tissue. It provides a benign tactile stimulus that mediates the patient's sensory experience, shifting focus from the harmful needle penetration to a mild, non-painful contact
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a distractor tip is added to the needle device, then the pain sensation is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The distraction device merges the distractor tip with the needle device body into a single integrated unit. The distractor tip is attached to the body at a location proximal to the needle tip, allowing both components to function together as one device rather than requiring separate applications
Solution Approach 2:
The body of the distraction device is designed to interface with standard needle devices through an adapter, making the distractor tip applicable to various needle types and procedures. This multi-functionality allows a single distractor design to serve multiple medical applications
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 distractor tip reduces the pain sensation of needle insertion by providing a mild, non-painful touch sensation close to the needle penetration site, thereby alleviating patient discomfort and anxiety.
Implementation Method 1
The resiliently flexible member may be configured to bend when the distractor tip is in contact with the tissue surface during insertion of the needle tip into the tissue surface
Data Source
AI summary
A distraction device configured to be used with a needle device for insertion into tissue includes a body attached to the needle device; and a member extending from the body, wherein the member includes a distractor tip proximal to a needle tip of the needle device. In use, the distractor tip is configured to contact a tissue surface before and during insertion of the needle tip into the tissue surface.