Offset Energy Timing in Tissue Sealing Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current energy treatment systems for living tissues face challenges in effectively sealing and joining tissues while minimizing tissue damage and preventing thermal spread, particularly in applications like anastomosing intestinal canals, due to limitations in controlling energy output timing and fluid management.
Innovation Solution
A treatment system comprising a pair of holding members with integrated energy output control, allowing for offset energy output timings between seal and maintaining members, and a cooling mechanism to manage thermal effects, ensuring precise tissue interaction and minimizing collateral damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If energy is applied to seal and join living tissues simultaneously, then sealing and joining are achieved in one step, but thermal spread damages surrounding tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment system divides the energy application process into separate stages: first applying energy to seal the tissues, then applying energy to join the tissues. This temporal segmentation prevents thermal accumulation and spread to surrounding healthy tissues while achieving both sealing and joining functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic energy output with offset timings between seal and maintain members. The energy is applied in controlled pulses rather than continuously, allowing heat dissipation between pulses and preventing excessive thermal spread while maintaining effective tissue treatment.
2Ease of operation
If energy output timing is not controlled between seal and maintain members, then device operation is simple, but tissue contact is not maintained leading to treatment failure
Solution Approach 1:
The control section monitors the treatment process and automatically adjusts energy output timing between seal and maintain members based on detected tissue conditions. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable tissue contact maintenance without requiring complex manual coordination by the operator.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-coordinates the energy output timing of the maintain member relative to the seal member. The maintain member is activated at an offset timing to ensure tissue contact is established and maintained before and during the sealing process, guaranteeing treatment reliability.
3Device complexity
If cooling is not applied to the maintain member, then device structure is simpler, but excessive heat accumulates causing tissue damage
Solution Approach 1:
A cooling member is introduced as an intermediary element between the maintain member and the tissue. This cooling member absorbs excess heat from the maintain member through thermal conduction, preventing heat accumulation and potential tissue damage while allowing the maintain member to function effectively.
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
The system enables efficient sealing and joining of tissues with reduced thermal impact on surrounding areas, enhancing treatment precision and tissue regeneration by controlling energy delivery and fluid management.
Implementation Method 1
a seal member configured to exert energy to at least two living tissues to join the living tissues in a state where desirable regions of the living tissues are sealed
Implementation Method 2
a maintaining member configured to be integrally disposed on the seal member and exert the energy to the living tissues in a state where the living tissues are brought into contact with each other, thereby maintaining the contact of the living tissues
Implementation Method 3
a cooling member provided in the vicinity of the maintaining member to cool the maintaining member
Data Source
AI summary
A treatment system includes a seal member, a maintaining member and a control section, and is configured to exert energy to a living tissue to treat the living tissue. The seal member is configured to join a sealed region which seals desirable regions of at least two living tissues when the energy is exerted to the sealed region. The maintaining member is configured to maintain the living tissues in the vicinity of the sealed region being brought into contact with each other when the energy is exerted to the living tissues. The control section is configured to offset energy output timings of the seal member and the maintaining member.