Nested Tube Stone Removal for Minimally Invasive Bile Duct Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing bile duct and gallbladder stones require invasive surgeries, general anesthesia, and are ineffective for patients with cardiopulmonary diseases or younger patients who cannot tolerate such procedures, leading to long-term health implications.
Innovation Solution
A stone removal device comprising an outer tube, inner tube, stone removal basket, and stone-crushing rod, allowing for minimally invasive procedures using local anesthesia, enabling stone capture and crushing within the body without the need for liver resection or complete gallbladder removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If open wound surgery or laparoscopic cholecystectomy is performed to remove stones, then stones can be removed, but patient suffers from invasive surgery and long-term health implications
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs a nested structure where the inner tube is sleeved within the outer tube, and the stone removal basket is sleeved within the inner tube. This multi-layer nesting allows the device to access deep bile ducts through minimal incisions while maintaining the capability to remove large stones, thus reducing surgical invasiveness without compromising stone removal effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The device is divided into detachable segments including outer tube, inner tube, stone removal basket, and stone-crushing rod. This segmentation allows the device to be assembled and disassembled for minimally invasive insertion while maintaining full functionality for stone removal, avoiding the need for complete gallbladder removal
2Reliability
If general anesthesia is used for stone removal surgery, then stone removal can be performed, but patients with cardiopulmonary diseases cannot tolerate the procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The nested tube structure enables the device to be inserted through minimal incisions using percutaneous transhepatic bile duct access, allowing the procedure to be performed under local anesthesia rather than general anesthesia, making it suitable for patients with cardiopulmonary diseases who cannot tolerate general anesthesia
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the traditional mechanical surgical approach requiring general anesthesia with a percutaneous intervention approach using the nested tube device, enabling the procedure to be performed under local anesthesia and sedation, thus expanding patient eligibility
3Reliability
If choledochoscope is inserted to remove intrahepatic duct stones, then stones can be removed, but the procedure is impossible due to excessive curvature or narrowing of the duct
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the bile duct access into segmented stages: outer tube for initial access, inner tube for navigating curvature, and stone removal basket for stone extraction. This segmentation allows progressive navigation through curved and narrowed duct sections that would be inaccessible to a rigid choledochoscope
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates flexible and adjustable components that can dynamically adapt to the bile duct's curvature and narrowing. The nested tube structure allows for bending and positioning adjustments to reach intrahepatic ducts with excessive curvature, overcoming the limitations of rigid scope-based approaches
4Reliability
If stone removal basket is used to capture stones, then stones can be removed, but large stones cannot be removed if they are too big
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the stone removal function into two stages: the stone removal basket for capturing and extracting smaller stones, and the stone-crushing rod for breaking larger stones into smaller fragments. This segmentation allows the device to handle stones of varying sizes by selecting the appropriate component or combining both functions
Solution Approach 2:
The device integrates multiple functions into a single system: the outer tube and inner tube provide access, the stone removal basket captures and extracts stones, and the stone-crushing rod breaks large stones. This multi-functionality allows a single device to handle both small and large stones, eliminating the need for separate procedures
Data Source
AI summary
A stone removal device, comprising an outer tube, an inner tube configured to be sleeved within the outer tube, and a stone removal basket or a stone-crushing rod configured to be sleeved within the inner tube. The stone removal device is inserted into a bile duct or gallbladder of a patient via an expanded drainage channel. The stone removal basket is placed at the location of stones through the inner tube and the outer tube, and the stones are captured within the stone removal basket and the stone removal basket containing the stone is pulled outward to crush the stone while the outer tube and the inner tube are fixed. If the stone cannot be crushed by the stone removal basket, the stone-crushing rod can be used to break the stone into fragments. The stone fragments can then be removed from the body using the stone removal basket.