Paired Surgical Sheaths for Endoscopic Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopic surgery within the head faces challenges such as local tissue trauma from surgical instruments, fluid obstruction, and increased complexity due to frequent endoscope cleaning and displacement, which prolongs recovery time and complicates procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical sheath with conical sections and attachment fittings that form pairs to mutually support each other, reducing tissue trauma and stabilizing the endoscope during surgery, allowing for better resistance against displacement and fluid obstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single sheath is used to protect tissues during endoscopic surgery, then tissue protection is provided, but the sheath is prone to displacement and requires frequent adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
Two individual sheaths are combined to form a sheath pair that mutually supports each other. The sheaths are attached together at their conical sections using clips, pins, belts or other techniques, creating a stable configuration that resists displacement during surgery.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheaths are positioned to mutually support each other, creating a balanced configuration where each sheath counteracts forces that would cause displacement. This mutual support system provides stability without requiring additional anchoring mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If surgical instruments are moved frequently into and out of the surgical pathway, then surgical flexibility is maintained, but surrounding tissues are subjected to additional trauma
Solution Approach 1:
The sheath pair acts as an intermediary protective barrier between the surgical instruments and the surrounding tissues. Instruments can be moved through the sheath opening without directly contacting the protected tissues, reducing trauma while maintaining surgical flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath is constructed as a flexible protective covering that allows instrument passage while shielding the underlying tissues. The flexible material conforms to the surgical pathway and provides continuous protection during instrument manipulation.
3Illumination intensity
If the endoscope is removed and cleaned multiple times during surgery, then visualization quality is maintained, but procedure complexity and time requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sheath pair serves as an intermediary barrier that prevents soiled irrigation fluid and debris from contaminating the endoscope. By maintaining a cleaner environment around the endoscope, the frequency of cleaning interruptions can be reduced while preserving visualization quality.
4Ease of operation
If larger cranial incisions are made to access surgical sites, then direct access to target tissues is achieved, but brain retraction and prolonged wound healing are required
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible sheath provides a protective interface that enables minimally invasive access through smaller incisions. The sheath can be introduced through small openings and provides continuous protection during the procedure, reducing the need for large incisions and associated recovery time.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical sheath for use in endoscopic trans-nasal or intra-ocular surgery has first and second attachment fittings on opposite side of a conical section used for attaching individual sheaths to form a sheath pair. The sheaths of the pair can mutually support each other during surgery, to better resist inadvertent displacement of the sheaths. After the sheaths are positioned, the conical sections of the sheaths may be attached together using clips, pins, belts or other techniques. The sheaths reduce collateral trauma to the tissues in the surgical pathway.