Retractable Grasper Mechanism for Laparoscopic Suture Passing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical devices used in laparoscopic procedures often cause accidental perforation of organs and tissues due to their sharp nature, leading to patient safety concerns during suturing and puncturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A surgical device with a retractable and lockable grasper mechanism that initially punctures the skin, allows suture passage, and then biases into an extended position for suturing while retracting to prevent tissue injury, featuring a cannula with a sharp edge for skin penetration and a spring-biased mechanism for jaws to lock in place, providing enhanced safety features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a sharp, pointed grasping device is used to puncture skin and tissue during laparoscopic surgery, then the ability to penetrate tissue and pass suture is improved, but the risk of accidental perforation of organs and inadvertent injury to tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grasper device incorporates a spring-biased mechanism that dynamically changes the configuration of the grasper jaws. During insertion, the jaws are compressed within the cannula, presenting a low profile that reduces accidental injury. Once positioned, the spring bias extends the jaws to a functional configuration for suture manipulation. This dynamic transformation allows the device to adapt its shape between insertion and operation phases, resolving the contradiction between penetration capability and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The device separates the sharp puncturing function (cannula) from the grasping function (jaws with teeth). The cannula performs the skin puncture while the jaws, which may have teeth for grasping, perform suture manipulation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while reducing the overall harm - the sharp point is isolated to the cannula tip rather than being part of the grasping mechanism.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a retractable grasper mechanism with spring bias is used to extend and lock into place, then safety against accidental perforation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-biased mechanism is self-actuating and requires no additional power source or complex control system. The spring automatically biases the jaws into the retracted safe configuration during insertion and into the extended functional configuration when resistance is encountered. This self-service mechanism achieves safety through passive mechanical means rather than active control, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the retractable functionality.
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 device effectively reduces the risk of accidental organ or tissue perforation by allowing controlled suture passage and manipulation within the abdominal cavity, enhancing patient safety during minimally invasive surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
a spring-biased mechanism for jaws to lock in place
Data Source
AI summary
A suture passing device includes a grasping mechanism and cannula having a sharp edge on a distal end. The grasper mechanism includes a hollow shaft slidably disposed within the cannula, with a first jaw fixedly secured thereto, and a second jaw pivotally coupled thereto, to pivot between a closed position wherein the second jaw engages the first jaw, and an open position. The slidable shaft permits the jaws to occupy a retracted position within the cannula, and an extended position. A plunger is slidably disposed within the hollow shaft, and pivotally coupled to the second jaw. A first handle is secured to the shaft, while a second handle is secured to the plunger, for jaw engagement/disengagement. The device also include means for locking sliding travel of the shaft relative to the cannula, after a full cycle of the slidable travel of the jaws between the extended and retracted positions has occurred.