Flexible Tube Needle Holder with Grooved Jaw for Secure Suture Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical needle holders for endoscopes face challenges in securely holding curved needles and suture threads, particularly in maintaining tension and preventing damage during tissue suturing procedures within the gastrointestinal tract.
Innovation Solution
A needle holder with a flexible tube and a grasper at its distal end, featuring a first jaw with a groove and a protrusion, and a second jaw that can hold the curved needle and suture thread, allowing for secure gripping and tension distribution to prevent damage and ensure stable suturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional needle holders use simple grasping members to hold curved needles, then the device structure is simple, but the needle and suture thread cannot be securely held and may slip or be damaged during suturing
Solution Approach 1:
The grasper is divided into a first grasping member with a groove and a second grasping member, allowing independent control of needle and suture thread holding functions. The groove in the first grasping member specifically accommodates the curved needle while the second grasping member secures the suture thread, preventing slippage and damage during suturing procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The first grasping member features a groove with specific geometric properties (width, depth, curvature) tailored to match the shape of the curved needle. This localized geometric adaptation ensures secure needle holding without requiring complex structures throughout the entire grasper assembly.
2Reliability
If the grasper applies strong gripping force to hold the curved needle and suture thread, then the holding security is improved, but the suture thread may be damaged or cut due to excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the holding functions into two independent grasping members, the groove in the first member distributes the gripping force along the curved needle's contour, while the second member secures the suture thread with controlled force. This segmentation prevents concentrated stress that would cause thread damage or cutting.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove's geometric parameters (width, depth, curvature) are specifically designed to match the needle and thread dimensions, allowing the grasping force to be distributed over a larger contact area. This parameter optimization maintains holding security while reducing stress concentration on the suture thread.
3Ease of manufacture
If the grasper structure is simplified, then the device is easier to manufacture, but it cannot effectively distribute forces and prevent shear stress on the suture thread
Solution Approach 1:
The two-grasping-member structure allows each component to be manufactured separately with optimized geometries for force distribution. The groove in the first member and the gripping surface in the second member can be independently fabricated, then assembled, achieving effective force distribution without requiring complex integrated manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove geometry in the first grasping member is specifically designed to match the curved needle profile, creating localized contact points that distribute gripping force evenly. This local geometric optimization prevents shear stress concentration on the suture thread while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A needle holder for holding a curved needle to which a suture thread is connected. The needle holder includes a flexible tube; and a grasper provided at a distal end of the flexible tube. The grasper includes a first jaw having a groove, and a protrusion at a distal end portion of the first jaw; and a second jaw movably connected to the first jaw. The grasper can hold the curved needle between the second jaw and the protrusion of the first jaw, and can hold a part of the suture thread between a surface of the groove and the second jaw such that another part of the suture thread passes through a gap formed between another surface of the groove and the second jaw. The protrusion has a hook surface for hooking the suture thread extending outside the groove.