Resilient Laparoscopic Seal Cap for HALS

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Solution Overview

Problem

Minimally invasive abdominal surgery techniques, such as laparoscopic surgery, face challenges in providing adequate tactile feedback and comfort while minimizing trauma and scarring, as existing laparoscopic disks often cause bruising and fatigue during Hand Assisted Laparoscopic Surgical (HALS) procedures.

Innovation Solution

The development of a laparoscopic disk assembly with a flexible or resilient soft support member that forms an annular contact with the abdominal wall, providing a sealing connection, facilitating instrument manipulation, preventing retractor skirt rotation, and reducing bruising and surgeon fatigue, while maintaining insufflation pressure and adjustable opening for the surgeon's hand.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rigid laparoscopic disk is used to maintain insufflation pressure, then sealing performance is improved, but patient comfort deteriorates due to bruising and trauma

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidbruising and trauma

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a flexible or resilient soft support member (membrane) that forms an annular contact with the abdominal wall. This flexible membrane maintains the pneumatic seal and insufflation pressure while conforming to the patient's anatomy, thereby preventing bruising and trauma associated with rigid disks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameter of the disk from rigid to flexible/resilient. This parameter change allows the disk to maintain sealing performance through elastic deformation while reducing mechanical trauma to the abdominal wall, resolving the contradiction between reliability and harmful factors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the surgeon's hand is inserted through the disk opening, then tactile feedback is improved, but disk stability deteriorates due to hand movement and manipulation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetactile feedbackVSAvoiddisk stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible membrane can deform to accommodate the surgeon's hand insertion and manipulation while maintaining the overall structural integrity and sealing function of the disk assembly, thus preserving both tactile feedback and stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic flexibility to the disk structure, allowing it to adapt its shape and opening size during surgical procedures. This dynamic characteristic enables the disk to maintain stability while accommodating hand movement and providing tactile feedback.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If a large opening is made in the abdominal wall for hand insertion, then ease of access is improved, but trauma and scarring worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to body cavityVSAvoidtrauma and scarring

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible membrane allows for a larger effective opening for hand insertion while maintaining a smaller actual incision in the abdominal wall. The membrane can stretch and deform to accommodate the hand, providing ease of access while minimizing permanent trauma and scarring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 solution enhances patient comfort by minimizing bruising and reducing surgeon fatigue, maintains insufflation pressure, and provides improved tactile feedback through adjustable and secure sealing, thereby improving the overall performance and comfort during HALS procedures.

Implementation Method 1

a flexible or resilient soft support member that forms an annular contact with the abdominal wall, providing a sealing connection

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

providing significant pneumatic sealing with or without the presence of the surgeon's hand... minimizing bruising and reducing surgeon fatigue

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure distribution: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS7967748B2Resiliently supported seal cap for hand assisted laparoscopic surgical procedures

Publication Date: 2011.06.28 CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL

AI summary

A laparoscopic disk assembly for a Hand Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery (HALS) procedure includes an exteriorly visible laparoscopic disk (seal cap) attached to a retractor skirt. The laparoscopic disk provides an adjustable exterior opening. A downward annular surface is supported by an attached flexible or resilient (“soft) support member that in turn forms an annular contact upon a patient's abdomen wall surrounding an incision to form a sealing connection, to facilitate improved manipulation or degrees of freedom through the laparoscopic disk without loss of insufflation pressure, to minimize, if not eliminate, bruising, to prevent rotation movement of a retractor skirt in the incision, and to reduce fatigue. Versions include a resilient pad, a resilient skirt that adheres to the patient's skin, a skirt with horizontal pleats, and a toroidal bladder that comfortably depresses into the skin.