Retractor Sleeve System for Selective Tissue Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional surgical procedures for deep body pathologies cause significant trauma to intervening tissues due to extensive muscle stripping and tissue dissection, leading to prolonged recovery times and pain, with a need for improved minimally invasive surgical devices and techniques for tissue retraction.
Innovation Solution
The development of a retractor sleeve system with selectively movable retractor blades and a retaining member that allows for tissue retraction beyond the distal end of the sleeve, minimizing tissue dissection and providing a working channel for percutaneous access, facilitating access to deep locations within the body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional open surgical procedures are used to access deep body locations, then adequate access and exposure is achieved, but significant trauma to intervening tissues occurs with extensive muscle stripping and prolonged recovery
Solution Approach 1:
The retraction system is divided into multiple independent retractor blades that can be individually extended and retracted. Each blade can be selectively positioned to retract specific tissue layers, allowing access to deep locations while minimizing trauma to non-target tissues through precise, segmented control of retraction forces.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple retractor blades are nested within a single retractor sleeve, with each blade capable of independent extension beyond the sleeve's distal end. This nested configuration allows the system to maintain a compact profile during insertion while providing extended retraction capability when blades are deployed, reducing tissue trauma during the access procedure.
2Ease of operation
If extensive tissue dissection is performed to access deep locations, then adequate surgical access is obtained, but operating time and recovery time are prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor blades are designed to be dynamically adjustable during the surgical procedure, allowing the surgeon to extend blades as needed to access deep locations and then retract them when no longer required. This dynamic capability enables minimal tissue dissection by providing on-demand access rather than requiring permanent extensive exposure, thereby reducing both operating time and recovery time.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If minimal invasive techniques are used to reduce tissue trauma, then recovery time is reduced, but tissue retraction capability at deep locations is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor system provides localized retraction capability through individually controllable blades within the sleeve. Each blade can be extended to provide focused retraction at specific deep locations where surgical access is needed, while the rest of the tissue remains undisturbed. This localized approach maintains minimal overall tissue trauma while providing adequate retraction capability precisely where required.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and instruments for performing surgery in a patient are provided that minimize tissue dissection and retraction to access locations within the patient. One specific application concerns devices, instruments and techniques that provide for selective retraction of tissue, neural elements, organs or other anatomical structures at locations distally of the retractor sleeve providing percutaneous access to the locations.