Radioactive Staple Applicator for Brachytherapy Seed Placement

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current brachytherapy techniques face challenges in precisely delivering radioactive seeds during lung cancer treatment, particularly in minimizing radiation dose to clinicians and ensuring accurate placement near the surgical margin, especially in minimally invasive procedures.

Innovation Solution

Integration of radioactive seeds into surgical staples, allowing for precise placement and fixation adjacent to the surgical resection margin using a modified surgical stapling instrument, which reduces radiation exposure to clinicians and ensures stable dose distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If radioactive seeds are manually delivered using traditional techniques, then seed placement can be achieved, but precise delivery and accurate placement near surgical margin cannot be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseed placement precisionVSAvoiddifficulty in manipulating seeds through narrow surgical incision

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the radioactive seed delivery function with the existing surgical stapler instrument. The seed delivery mechanism is integrated into the stapler's cartridge system, allowing seeds to be delivered through the same narrow surgical incision used for stapling. This merging resolves the contradiction by enabling precise seed placement without requiring separate manipulation tools through the incision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The surgical stapler is modified to perform multiple functions: traditional tissue stapling and radioactive seed delivery. The cartridge system can accommodate both staples and radioactive seeds, allowing a single instrument to accomplish both surgical closure and brachytherapy seed placement. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate seed delivery tools through the narrow incision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If brachytherapy is added to the treatment regimen, then local recurrence risk is reduced, but radiation dose to clinicians increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereduction in local recurrence riskVSAvoidradiation dose to clinicians

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the radioactive seeds from the clinician's direct handling process and pre-loads them into the stapler cartridge before surgery. The seeds are delivered automatically through the instrument rather than being manually manipulated by the clinician. This extraction reduces radiation exposure to clinicians while maintaining the therapeutic benefit of brachytherapy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The stapler instrument serves as an intermediary between the radioactive seeds and the surgical site. Instead of clinicians directly handling and placing seeds, the instrument mediates the delivery process, shielding the clinician from direct radiation exposure while ensuring precise seed placement at the surgical margin.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If separate instruments are used for seed delivery and stapling, then each function can be optimized, but device complexity and procedural time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical procedure efficiencyVSAvoidnumber of separate instruments required

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the seed delivery instrument and stapling instrument into a single integrated device. The stapler cartridge is modified to include both staple loading and radioactive seed loading capabilities. This consolidation reduces the number of separate instruments needed, simplifies the procedural workflow, and improves surgical efficiency without compromising the precision of either function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9763660B2Delivery applicator for radioactive staples for brachytherapy medical treatment

Publication Date: 2017.09.19 POINT SOURCE TECH

AI summary

An instrument used for brachytherapy delivery in the treatment of cancer by radiation therapy including a handle having first and second handle actuators; an end effector; and an instrument shaft that connects the handle with the end effector. The end effector has first and second adjacent disposed staple cartridges that each retain a set of staples. The first mechanism is for holding standard staples in a first array, and dispensing the standard staples under control of the corresponding first handle actuator. The second mechanism is for holding radioactive source staples in a second array, and dispensing said radioactive source staples under control of the corresponding second handle actuator. The actuating device is removably attachable to an actuator arm on a proximal end. A staple applicator cartridge holder is attached to the actuator arm on a distal end. The staple applicator cartridge is mountable in the holder and having a plurality of slots for mounting of radioactive source staples therein. An anvil therein crimps the staples.