Percutaneous Instrument Guide with Remote Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical procedures require accurate guidance of needles and instruments within imaging systems, which exposes patients and medical personnel to ionizing radiation and poses challenges due to confined spaces, especially in procedures involving large or obese patients, and the need for non-ferromagnetic materials near MRI scanners.
Innovation Solution
A medical instrument guide that can be adjusted remotely from the imaging device, made from radio-transparent or radio-opaque materials, and non-ferromagnetic components, allowing for precise angular orientation and stable maintenance of the insertion path, reducing radiation exposure and accommodating patient size variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If imaging systems such as CT scanners or fluoroscopes are used to guide needle insertion, then accurate localization of the needle is achieved, but the patient and medical personnel are exposed to ionizing radiation
Solution Approach 1:
The device separates the imaging function from the guidance function. Imaging is performed separately to identify the target site, while the mechanical guide device provides radiation-free guidance during the actual procedure. This segmentation allows accurate needle localization through pre-imaging while eliminating continuous radiation exposure during the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The target site is identified and marked through imaging before the procedure begins. The guide device is then configured based on this preliminary information, allowing the actual needle insertion to proceed without further imaging and without additional radiation exposure.
2Measurement precision
If the practitioner works within the imaging system to direct the needle, then accurate guidance is achieved, but the space available for the practitioner's hands and instruments is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves the practitioner's workspace from the confined two-dimensional space within the imaging bore to the three-dimensional external environment. The guide device is positioned on the patient's body surface outside the imager, providing ample workspace for the practitioner while maintaining guidance accuracy through the mechanical structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical guide device acts as an intermediary between the imaging system and the needle. It translates the target location identified by imaging into a physical guidance structure that the practitioner can work with externally, eliminating the need to work within the confined imaging space.
3Strength
If ferromagnetic materials are used in the guide device, then the structural integrity and guiding function are improved, but the device cannot be used near MRI scanners due to magnetic field distortion and safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The guide device employs composite construction using non-ferromagnetic materials such as titanium, stainless steel alloys, or polymer composites. These materials maintain the necessary structural integrity and mechanical strength while being compatible with MRI scanners and other magnetic imaging systems, expanding the device's versatility across different imaging modalities.
Data Source
AI summary
An introducer guide includes a guiding assembly to guide insertion an instrument, such as a biopsy needle, through a selected insertion point on a patient's body and along a selected insertion path. An imaging system, such as a CT scanner, is used to visualize portions of the guiding assembly in relation to the patient's tissues as the insertion path is adjusted. The guiding assembly includes a semicircular arch connected with a base plate by sliding hinges with a center of curvature of the arch centered on the insertion point. A guide body is slidably connected with the arch. Rotation of the arch about the hinges adjusts a first angle of the insertion path. Motion of the guide body along the arch adjusts a second angle of the insertion path. Linkages, such as linear actuation cables, rotary cables, or pneumatic or hydraulic actuators, connect the arch and guide body with remote operators. A practitioner aligns the guide assembly with the insertion point and fixes the base to the patient's skin. The practitioner uses the remote operators to adjust the orientation of the insertion path while visualizing the insertion path using the imaging system. The length of the cables is selected to allow the practitioner to adjust the guiding assembly at a safe distance from ionizing radiation emitted by the imaging system.