Medical Instrument With Plate-Shaped Tips for Straight Tissue Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical instruments with straight tool elements lack the advantageous properties of curved jaw sections, such as improved visibility and handling of tissue, especially when the tool element extension direction is straight.
Innovation Solution
The distal end of the tool elements is formed by a plate-shaped area with a local minimum width, allowing for gripping elements on both sides and a hook function, enhancing visibility and enabling precise, atraumatic tissue preparation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If straight tool elements are used, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is easier, but the visibility and tissue handling properties deteriorate compared to curved jaw sections
Solution Approach 1:
The tool element is segmented into different functional areas: a straight extension for structural simplicity and a plate-shaped distal end area for improved tissue handling. This segmentation allows the instrument to combine the advantages of both straight and curved designs by dividing the tool element into distinct functional zones with different geometric properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The distal end area of the tool element is given special local quality through its plate-shaped geometry with reduced thickness, creating a flange-like structure that provides improved visibility and tissue handling characteristics specifically at the working end, while the rest of the tool element maintains its simple straight geometry for ease of manufacture.
2Manufacturing precision
If gripping elements are added to both sides of straight tool elements, then tissue preparation precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping elements are merged with the plate-shaped distal end area of the tool element, forming an integrated structure where the plate itself serves as the gripping surface. This combining of functions reduces the number of separate components needed while still providing bilateral gripping capability for precise tissue preparation.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate-shaped distal end area serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides improved visibility due to its reduced thickness, acts as a gripping surface for tissue handling, and maintains the structural integrity of the straight tool element. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity while achieving precise tissue preparation.
3Ease of operation
If the distal end of tool elements is formed by a plate-shaped area with local minimum width, then visibility and tissue preparation are improved, but the structural strength may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The distal end area is formed as a thin plate-shaped structure with reduced thickness compared to the main body of the tool element. This thin-film-like structure at the working end provides improved visibility and tissue preparation capabilities while the thicker main body maintains overall structural strength and rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate-shaped distal end area introduces a dimensional variation by reducing thickness in the radial direction while maintaining the longitudinal extension of the straight tool element. This dimensional change creates a flange-like structure that improves visibility and tissue handling without compromising the overall structural integrity provided by the main body.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a medical instrument having a distal end and a proximal end, a first tool element and a second tool element being arranged or formed such that they can move relative to each other at the distal end, the tool elements defining a tool element extension direction from proximal to distal, the first tool element defining a first tool element face, and the second tool element defining a second tool element face, the first tool element face and the second tool element face facing each other, the tool elements defining in the region of their tool element faces a width which extends in a direction transverse, in particular perpendicular, to the tool element extension direction and transverse, in particular perpendicular, to a surface normal of the first tool element face and/or of the second tool element face, and the first tool element and/or the second tool element having at least one gripping element with a gripping face facing away from the respective tool element. Said medical instrument is to be improved such that handling of tissue therewith is made possible even with a straight profile of the tool element extension direction. According to the invention, the width of the tool element decreases from the proximal end of the at least one tool element towards the distal end of same, the width has at least one local minimum between the proximal and distal ends, and the gripping face is formed in the region of the local minimum of the width.