Pivoting 3D Video Endoscope for Minimally Invasive Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally invasive surgical procedures face challenges in achieving three-dimensional viewing of internal surgical sites due to image distortion caused by movement of multiple cameras and patient discomfort from camera manipulation within small body openings.
Innovation Solution
A pivotable surgical camera assembly with an elongated proximal and distal member, featuring fixed surgical cameras angled to provide a three-dimensional view, an illumination source, and a support platform for manual or robotic control, allowing precise positioning and minimally invasive insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple cameras are inserted through additional access openings to achieve three-dimensional viewing, then three-dimensional viewing capability is improved, but patient discomfort and trauma increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cameras (first and second cameras) onto a single distal member that is inserted through one access opening, rather than using separate cameras through multiple openings. This merging approach maintains three-dimensional viewing capability while reducing patient trauma and discomfort by minimizing the number of access openings required.
2Ease of operation
If cameras are manipulated within the surgical site to achieve desired viewing angles, then viewing flexibility is improved, but image distortion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a pivotable distal member that can be rotated and angled relative to the proximal member, allowing dynamic adjustment of camera viewing angles. This dynamic positioning capability provides viewing flexibility while maintaining fixed camera positions on the distal member, thereby preventing image distortion that would occur with manual camera manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The distal member can be positioned at various angles and orientations in three-dimensional space, allowing the cameras to view the surgical site from multiple angles without physically moving the cameras themselves. This spatial dimensionality change provides viewing flexibility while keeping camera positions fixed, thus maintaining image accuracy.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a single access opening is used to insert the camera assembly, then patient trauma is reduced, but positioning and orienting the cameras becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable distal member allows dynamic adjustment of camera orientation and viewing angles after insertion through a single access opening. This dynamic positioning capability compensates for the constraint of single-opening insertion, making camera orienting easy while maintaining minimal patient trauma.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivotable connection between the proximal and distal members acts as an intermediary mechanism that enables easy positioning and orienting of the cameras. This intermediate joint allows the distal member with cameras to be rotated and angled independently, simplifying positioning operations despite the single access opening constraint.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical camera assembly includes a proximal member defining a longitudinal axis and a distal member defining a pointed tip configured to puncture tissue to permit insertion of the surgical camera assembly therethrough. The distal member is pivotably coupled to the proximal member and is movable relative thereto between a first position, wherein the distal member is aligned with the longitudinal axis, and a second position, wherein the distal member is angled off the longitudinal axis. First and second surgical cameras are disposed within the distal member in fixed position and longitudinally-spaced relative to one another. Each of the cameras is oriented to define a viewing area in a direction extending from an outer lateral periphery of the distal member. The cameras are configured to produce video images that are used in conjunction with one another to provide a three-dimensional video image of the internal surgical site.