Overtube Flaps for Fluidic Seal in Medical Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical systems for accessing bodily openings through translumenal procedures face risks of fluid spillage and infection due to inadequate sealing, and existing overtubes are not safe, reliable, or repeatable in maintaining access.
Innovation Solution
A medical system featuring an overtube with a tapered distal end and longitudinally extending slits forming flaps that radially move to create a fluidic seal with tissue, allowing safe and repeatable access to bodily openings while preventing fluid leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional overtube with convex or conical distal end is used, then the medical instrument can be introduced through the overtube, but the overtube cannot form a reliable fluidic seal with the tissue, leading to fluid spillage and infection risk
Solution Approach 1:
The distal end of the overtube is segmented into multiple longitudinally extending slits that define a plurality of flaps. These slits divide the continuous distal end into discrete segments that can independently deform and adapt to the tissue opening, creating multiple sealing surfaces that collectively form a reliable fluidic seal, preventing fluid spillage and infection.
Solution Approach 2:
The flaps formed by the longitudinally extending slits are designed to be dynamically deformable. When the medical instrument is introduced through the overtube, the flaps radially move outward in response to the instrument's presence, adapting their configuration to maintain contact with the tissue and preserve the fluidic seal throughout the procedure.
2Reliability
If the overtube distal end is made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then the overtube can withstand insertion forces, but it cannot adapt to varying tissue openings and maintain a reliable seal
Solution Approach 1:
The flaps are designed with dynamic flexibility, allowing them to radially move outward when the medical instrument is introduced. This dynamic behavior enables the overtube to adapt to varying sizes and shapes of tissue openings while maintaining consistent sealing contact, resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The distal end of the overtube incorporates thin, flexible flap structures formed by longitudinally extending slits. These flexible elements can deform and conform to the irregular geometry of tissue openings, providing reliable sealing adaptability that rigid structures cannot achieve.
3Reliability
If the overtube is designed for single-use to ensure safety, then infection risk is reduced, but the procedure cannot be repeated without introducing new equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The overtube is designed as a disposable component that can be safely introduced through the tissue opening and then discarded after a single use. This eliminates contamination risk between procedures while maintaining procedure repeatability, as each new procedure uses a fresh, sterile overtube without the need for complex sterilization protocols.
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 provides a reliable and repeatable method for accessing bodily openings, maintaining a fluidic seal to prevent fluid leakage and infection, and allows for repeated use of medical instruments through the overtube.
Implementation Method 1
The tapered portion of the overtube is sized relative to the medical instrument such that distal translation of the medical instrument through the distal end of the overtube forces the plurality of flaps to move radially outwardly
Implementation Method 2
the distal end of the overtube forms a fluidic seal with the tissue. The plurality of flaps may form the fluidic seal with the tissue. When the plurality of flaps move radially outwardly, the tissue extends between the flaps and forms a fluidic seal with the endoscope
Implementation Method 3
The flared distal tip is configured to engage the bodily opening, and more particularly to frictionally engage a distal side of a bodily wall in the proximity of the bodily opening
Data Source
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AI summary
Medical systems, devices and methods are provided for accessing a bodily opening that, among other things, are safe, reliable and repeatable. A medical system for accessing a bodily opening generally includes a medical instrument and an overtube. The overtube defines an overtube lumen that is sized to receive the medical instrument. The overtube includes a distal end having a tapered portion and a plurality of longitudinally extending slits defining a plurality of flaps. The tapered portion of the overtube is sized relative to the medical instrument such that translation of the medical instrument through the distal end of the overtube forces the plurality of flaps to move radially outwardly.