Needle Knife Articulation for Endoscope Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical instruments with needle knives lack independent alignment capabilities with respect to wide angle video cameras in endoscopes, limiting their precision and effectiveness during medical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A medical instrument comprising a flexible sheath, pivot base, needle knife base, and handpiece with articulation controls, allowing the needle knife to be pivotally and rotatably adjusted independently of the endoscope insertion tube, enabling precise alignment with the video camera and simultaneous use with other medical devices like a grasper.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the needle knife is inserted into the endoscope's working channel without independent articulation capability, then the device structure remains simple, but the needle knife cannot be independently aligned with the video camera
Solution Approach 1:
The needle knife base is made dynamically adjustable through pivotal connections that allow articulation in multiple directions. The pivot base connects to the distal sheath portion, while the needle knife base pivots relative to the pivot base, enabling dynamic repositioning of the needle knife to achieve independent alignment with the video camera while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The articulation system is segmented into distinct pivot points: a pivot base connected to the distal sheath portion, and a needle knife base pivotally connected to the pivot base. This segmentation allows independent control of the needle knife's orientation relative to the endoscope insertion tube, enabling precise alignment without requiring complex integrated mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the needle knife base is pivotally connected to allow independent articulation, then the alignment capability with video camera is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot base serves multiple functions: it connects the needle knife base to the distal sheath portion, provides a pivot point for articulation, and maintains the structural integrity of the insertion assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, achieving versatile independent alignment capability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the needle knife is made extendable and retractable from the needle knife base, then the operational flexibility is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The needle knife is nested within the needle knife base, allowing it to be extended from and retracted into the base. This nested configuration provides operational flexibility for deploying the needle knife only when needed while maintaining a compact structure during insertion and storage, without requiring complex external actuation mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical instrument includes a flexible sheath, a pivot base, a medical needle knife base, a medical needle knife, and a handpiece. The flexible sheath has a distal sheath portion insertable within a patient and has a proximal sheath portion. The pivot base is attached to the distal sheath portion. The needle knife base is pivotally connected to the pivot base and has a passageway. The medical needle knife is extendable from the passageway and is retractable within the passageway. The handpiece is connected to the proximal sheath portion and includes a manually-operated articulation control operatively connected to the needle knife base for pivoting the needle knife base with respect to the pivot base.