Prostate Template Anchoring Mechanism for Swelling Compensation

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional apparatus for guiding catheters or needles during tumor treatment leads to incorrect irradiation due to skin swelling, causing the needles to shift away from the prostate, necessitating frequent and painful adjustments.

Innovation Solution

A coupling mechanism using anchoring needles that anchor into the body part, allowing the template to be positioned at a distance from the skin and maintaining the catheters' fixed position within the body.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the plate part is fixed on the skin, then the needles can be inserted and guided into the prostate, but the skin swelling causes the plate part to be pressed away from the prostate leading to incorrect irradiation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposition accuracyVSAvoidfixation mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fixation system is divided into two independent components: anchoring needles that penetrate through the plate part into the prostate tissue, and the plate part itself that remains on the skin surface. This segmentation allows the anchoring needles to maintain positional stability while the plate part can accommodate skin swelling without compromising the overall fixation reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The anchoring needles are inserted into the prostate tissue before the plate part is fully positioned on the skin. This preliminary action ensures that the plate part is securely anchored to the internal tissue structure, preventing displacement during subsequent skin swelling and eliminating the need for repeated adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the needles are clamped in the plate part, then the needles are fixed in position, but frequent repositioning is required due to tissue swelling causing time consumption and patient discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatheter position stabilityVSAvoidadjustment frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The anchoring needles are inserted into the prostate tissue before the plate part is fully positioned on the skin. This preliminary action ensures that the plate part is securely anchored to the internal tissue structure, preventing displacement during subsequent skin swelling and eliminating the need for repeated adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The anchoring needles automatically maintain the plate part's position relative to the prostate by being anchored in the tissue. This self-service mechanism continuously compensates for skin swelling without requiring external intervention or manual repositioning, thereby eliminating repeated adjustments and associated time loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If the plate part is fixed against the skin, then the catheters can be guided into the body part, but the swelling causes the plate part to move away from the target requiring repeated painful adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinitial placementVSAvoidpatient discomfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fixation system is divided into two independent components: anchoring needles that penetrate through the plate part into the prostate tissue, and the plate part itself that remains on the skin surface. This segmentation allows the anchoring needles to maintain positional stability while the plate part can accommodate skin swelling without compromising the overall fixation reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The anchoring needles are inserted into the prostate tissue before the plate part is fully positioned on the skin. This preliminary action ensures that the plate part is securely anchored to the internal tissue structure, preventing displacement during subsequent skin swelling and eliminating the need for repeated adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8162884B2Apparatus for introducing catheters or needles into a body part

Publication Date: 2012.04.24 NUCLETRON OPERATIONS

AI summary

A template, to be provided at some distance from the skin, provided with multiple guide holes for needles or catheters of which one or more can anchor in the prostate. The template is provided with a locking mechanism so that, after placement, the anchored needles keep all needles in their original places. The above-described method of fixedly positioning a treatment template prevents the needles from moving due to swelling of the tissue in the prostate, which causes the irradiation source, which is later provided in the needles, to improperly irradiate the area.