Pivoting Suture Needle Structure for Minimally Invasive Cardiac Suturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing minimally invasive cardiac surgery techniques face challenges in manipulating sutures effectively and efficiently, particularly for procedures like neochordal replacement, valve annuloplasty, and valve replacement, due to difficulties in maneuvering suture needles through small openings.
Innovation Solution
A suturing device with a head, shaft, and pivotable needles featuring curved arms and ferrule holders, equipped with an actuator for precise suture placement and retrieval, allowing remote delivery and secure suturing through a minimal invasive entry point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional suture needles are used in minimally invasive surgery, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but the manipulation of sutures becomes difficult and inefficient due to small openings
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is divided into multiple functional segments: a shaft, a head with ferrule holder, and curved arms with ferrule-engaging tips. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, improving ease of suture manipulation through the catheter while maintaining overall device functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The curved arms with ferrule-engaging tips are designed to be received within the head assembly, allowing the needle components to be nested within each other. This nesting enables the complex multi-component needle to be delivered through a minimally invasive catheter while maintaining the capability for effective suture manipulation at the distal end
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a minimally invasive approach is used, then patient trauma is reduced, but the ability to effectively manipulate and retrieve sutures is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The needle employs curved arms that extend laterally from the shaft in directions other than the longitudinal axis. This dimensional change allows the ferrule-engaging tips to access and manipulate sutures in three-dimensional space around the catheter, enabling effective suture retrieval and manipulation through a minimally invasive entry point
Solution Approach 2:
The ferrule holder and ferrule-engaging tips act as intermediary components that facilitate suture manipulation. These intermediaries enable the transfer and securing of sutures between the operator and the tissue, maintaining surgical efficiency despite the constraints of minimally invasive access
3Ease of operation
If the needle structure is simplified for easier manipulation, then ease of operation improves, but the precision and security of suture placement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the needle are designed with specialized qualities: the shaft provides structural support and guidance, the head with ferrule holder provides precise positioning, and the curved arms with ferrule-engaging tips provide secure engagement. This local differentiation of qualities ensures both ease of manipulation and precise, secure suture placement
Data Source
AI summary
A suturing device for minimally invasive surgery is disclosed. The suturing device has a head defining one or more ferrule holders and a tissue bite area. The device also has a first needle comprising a flywheel portion and one or more curved arms extending from the flywheel portion, each of the one or more curved arms comprising a ferrule engaging tip, wherein the first needle is pivotably coupled to the head. The suturing device further has a first actuator coupled to the first needle and configured to rotate it from a retracted position, where the ferrule engaging tip of each of the one or more curved arms starts away from the one or more ferrule holders, through the tissue bite area, and to an engaged position where the ferrule engaging tip of each of the one or more curved arms is operationally aligned with the one or more ferrule holders.