Pneumatic Trocar Sealing for Gas Recirculation and Instrument Freedom
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical trocars and sealing mechanisms in minimally invasive procedures suffer from incomplete sealing, interference with instrument movement, reduced haptic feedback, and disruption of pneumoperitoneum due to smoke and suction, necessitating additional incisions for smoke evacuation and pressure balance maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for insufflation and recirculation of insufflation fluid using a control unit with a fluid pump, pressure-controlled valve, and trocar design featuring fluid supply and return conduits, pressure sensing, and sound attenuation elements to maintain pneumoperitoneum and reduce noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical sealing elements (duckbill valves, flapper valves, spring-loaded trap doors) are used to seal around surgical instruments, then sealing to prevent gas escape is improved, but instrument movement freedom is reduced and haptic feedback is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical sealing elements (duckbill valves, flapper valves, spring-loaded trap doors) with a pneumatic sealing system. A gas-tight seal is formed between the trocar shaft and the instrument shaft using pneumatic pressure, eliminating the need for mechanical valves that physically contact and restrict instrument movement. This substitution maintains sealing effectiveness while allowing unrestricted instrument motion and preserving haptic feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs pneumatic pressure to create and maintain a gas-tight seal between the trocar shaft and instrument shaft. The pneumatic system uses pressurized gas flow to ensure sealing without mechanical contact, allowing instruments to move freely while preventing insufflation gas leakage. This pneumatic approach resolves the contradiction by using fluid pressure instead of mechanical constraints.
2Reliability
If mechanical sealing elements are used to prevent insufflation gas escape, then sealing is improved, but haptic feedback to the surgeon is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical sealing elements that physically contact instruments with a pneumatic sealing system. The pneumatic pressure creates a gas-tight seal without mechanical contact, thereby preserving the tactile sensations and haptic feedback that surgeons rely on for operative feedback. This substitution eliminates the information loss caused by mechanical valve contact while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
3Device complexity
If conventional trocars without recirculation are used, then device complexity is low, but pneumoperitoneum stability is compromised due to gas loss and smoke suction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a recirculation system that captures spent insufflation gas and smoke at the trocar site and returns it to the insufflator for reprocessing. This recovery process maintains pneumoperitoneum stability by preventing gas loss and smoke suction, while the modular design keeps the added complexity manageable. The system recovers and reuses the same gas throughout the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a feedback loop where pressure sensors monitor the pneumoperitoneum pressure and the recirculation system adjusts gas flow accordingly. This feedback mechanism maintains stable pneumoperitoneum pressure by compensating for any gas loss or pressure changes, ensuring consistent surgical conditions throughout the procedure.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If additional incisions are made for smoke evacuation and pressure balance, then smoke removal and pressure control are improved, but surgical trauma is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the trocar site multi-functional by enabling it to serve as both the surgical access point and the smoke evacuation entrance. The same trocar through which instruments are inserted also serves as the smoke and gas recirculation pathway, eliminating the need for separate incisions for smoke removal and pressure balance. This multi-functionality reduces surgical trauma while maintaining effective smoke removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of instrument access, smoke evacuation, and pressure control into a single trocar site. The recirculation system combines smoke removal and pressure balance maintenance through the same pathway used for surgical access, thereby reducing the number of incisions and associated surgical trauma while achieving all three functions simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system ensures unencumbered access and maintains pneumoperitoneum by recirculating insufflation fluid, reducing noise, and preventing pressure loss while allowing free movement of surgical instruments, thus enhancing surgical precision and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid pump, a supply conduit, a return fluid conduit and a pressure-controlled valve. The fluid pump is adapted and configured to circulate insufflation fluid through the system
Implementation Method 2
The pressure-controlled valve is in fluid communication with the supply conduit and the return conduit, and is adapted and configured to receive a control signal and respond to the control signal by adjusting
Implementation Method 3
A nozzle in fluid communication with the fluid supply plenum and the lumen, and configured and adapted for directing pressurized fluid into the lumen to form a fluid seal thereacross
Implementation Method 4
sound attenuation elements to maintain pneumoperitoneum and reduce noise
Data Source
AI summary
Systems for insufflation and recirculation of insufflation fluid in a surgical procedure include a control unit having a fluid pump, a supply conduit, a return fluid conduit and a pressure-controlled valve. The pressure-controlled valve is in fluid communication with an insufflation gas supply, the supply conduit and the return conduit and is adapted and configured to respond to pressure control signals to adjust position and thereby system flow parameters, to reduce entrainment of air from the surrounding environment, and to increase the concentration of insufflation gas in an operative space, and/or to reduce an overpressure condition in the operative space.