Needle-Suture Combination with Stop Surface for Jaw Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing surgical suture apparatuses, particularly those described in WO 2017/155406, face issues with the rotation of jaw elements around needle ends, which can damage the needle points due to direct contact with the needle channel, affecting the shape and condition of the needles.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a needle-suture combination with a needle end stop surface separate from the needle point, designed to cooperate with a needle channel stop surface, allowing optimized rotation without direct contact between the needle point and the needle channel, thus preventing damage and enhancing the needle's ability to pierce tissue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the jaw elements rotate about the needle points during activation movement, then the surgical apparatus can be operated, but the needle points are damaged and their shape/condition deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The needle end is segmented into two distinct functional zones: a needle point for tissue piercing and a needle end stop surface for interaction with the needle channel. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between operational movement and needle point integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle end stop surface acts as an intermediary element between the needle point and the needle channel. During activation movement, the jaw elements rotate about the needle end stop surface instead of the needle point, preventing direct contact and damage to the needle point while still enabling the necessary rotational movement for operation.
2Device complexity
If the needle point is used for both tissue piercing and rotation contact, then the structure is simple, but the needle point shape and condition are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The needle structure is segmented into distinct functional regions: the needle point for piercing and the needle end stop surface for rotational contact. This segmentation increases structural complexity slightly but ensures that the needle point maintains its precise shape and condition by not being subjected to wear from rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the needle have different local qualities optimized for their specific functions. The needle point is designed with specific geometric properties for piercing, while the needle end stop surface is designed for smooth rotational contact with the needle channel. This local optimization resolves the contradiction between structural simplicity and manufacturing precision.
3Device complexity
If the needle point contacts the needle channel during rotation, then no additional structure is needed, but wear and damage occur reducing needle reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is segmented into a needle point and a needle end stop surface, with the latter specifically designed to contact the needle channel during rotation. This segmentation protects the needle point from wear while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle end stop surface serves as an intermediary contact surface between the needle and the needle channel. It absorbs the wear and friction from rotational movement, preventing direct contact between the needle point and the needle channel, thereby maintaining needle reliability without requiring complex protective structures.
Data Source
AI summary
A needle-suture combination includes a needle having a first needle end and a second needle end opposite to the first needle end, and a suture connected to the needle between the first needle end and the second needle end. Each of the first needle end and the second needle end includes a needle point and a locking groove to receive a locking element of a needle holder. The first needle end and the second needle end each include a needle end stop surface between the groove and the needle point, where the needle end stop surface is arranged to cooperate with a needle channel stop surface of a needle channel of a needle holder.