Oblique Liquid-Jet Cell Harvesting for Bloodless Surface Sampling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for tissue sampling, particularly from mucous membranes, often result in blood loss and damage to the tissue surface, making it difficult to accurately attribute precancerous lesions to specific sampling sites and complicating the sampling process.

Innovation Solution

A device and method utilizing a jet of water or liquid directed at an acute angle to the tissue surface, combined with a suction channel and air or gas flow, to detach cells without penetrating deeper tissue layers, ensuring precise sampling and separation of samples from different locations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a liquid jet is directed directly onto tissue to wash off cells, then cell collection efficiency is improved, but tissue damage and blood loss increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecell collection efficiencyVSAvoidtissue damage and blood loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the angle parameter of the liquid jet from perpendicular/direct impact to oblique/grazing incidence. This parameter modification allows the liquid to effectively wash off cells while reducing penetration depth and minimizing tissue damage and blood loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a gas or air flow as an intermediary medium that carries the liquid jet and detached cells away from the tissue surface. This intermediary flow system enables efficient cell collection while the gas cushion reduces direct liquid impact force on the tissue.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Area of stationary object

If samples are taken from multiple locations, then screening coverage is improved, but sample contamination and mixing increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesampling coverage areaVSAvoidsample attribution accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the sampling process by using the oblique liquid jet to clear fluid from each specific sampling location before moving to the next grid point. This segmentation ensures that samples from different locations remain separate and can be accurately attributed to their source.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary cleaning of the sampling site using the liquid jet at oblique angles before collecting the sample. This preliminary action removes contaminating fluids from adjacent areas, ensuring that subsequent samples are not contaminated and can be reliably attributed to the specific sampling location.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If a seal is applied around the opening to prevent fluid escape, then sampling precision is improved, but device complexity and operation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesampling precisionVSAvoidsealing mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs the gas or air flow to self-containedly manage fluid removal without requiring external seals. The gas flow naturally contains and directs the liquid jet and detached cells, eliminating the need for complex sealing mechanisms while maintaining sampling precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses pneumatic principles by introducing a gas or air flow that creates a contained environment within the head space. This pneumatic approach naturally prevents fluid escape without mechanical seals, reducing device complexity while maintaining sampling precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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

Enables bloodless and non-invasive tissue sampling, allowing for accurate attribution of samples to specific sites and efficient collection without mixing, facilitating rapid screening of large areas.

Implementation Method 1

The operating principle of the device according to the invention is based on exposing a tissue surface to a jet of water and sucking off material reflected or detached from the tissue surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpact force: Impact Force

Implementation Method 2

sucking off material reflected or detached from the tissue surface via a suction channel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Data Source

PatentEP4613212A1Device and method for superficial cell harvesting
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 ERBE ELEKTROMEDIZIN GMBH
  • EP4613212A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4613212A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4613212A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The device (15) according to the invention for cell extraction is an additional element for an endoscope and is thus guided by an endoscope. The device contains a means for generating a beam (35) that strikes the tissue surface to be examined at an acute angle (β) without damaging it. The beam is, for example, a fan beam or a cone beam. The device communicates with a suction channel of the endoscope, through which gas is extracted during cell extraction in order to collect liquid droplets that bounce off the tissue and are stirred up by it and, together with an air stream, feed them to a collection device. This prevents the accumulation of various tissue samples in the organ to be examined and the consequent spread of tissue samples, which could potentially lead to incorrect classification.