Rotatable Tissue Sampling Device With Flexible Drive Shaft
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for extracting tissue samples from within the body, especially from lesions, often require invasive procedures and struggle with effectively detaching and securing the sample for analysis.
Innovation Solution
A rotatable sampling element with a cylindrical body and a cutting apparatus at its distal end, driven by a flexible drive shaft, which is both linearly and rotatably movable to cut and collect tissue samples, aided by an actuator handle for precise manipulation and a vacuum source for sample retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If needles or probes are inserted into the body to extract tissue samples, then tissue sampling can be performed without invasive procedures, but it becomes difficult to detach the tissue sample from the mass and secure it for extraction
Solution Approach 1:
The sampling device is divided into distinct functional segments: a cutting element at the distal end, a receiving chamber within the cylindrical body, and a flexible drive shaft. The cutting element separates the tissue sample from the mass, while the receiving chamber securely holds the detached sample, solving the problem of sample detachment and securing during minimally invasive procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The cylindrical body with receiving chamber acts as an intermediary structure between the cutting element and the external environment. It provides a protected space to receive and secure the tissue sample after cutting, facilitating easy detachment and securement without requiring invasive procedures
2Ease of operation
If a flexible drive shaft is used to transmit rotational force to the sampling element, then precise control and manipulation are enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible drive shaft is used to transmit rotational force from the proximal end to the distal sampling element. This flexible shaft allows for precise control and manipulation of the sampling element's rotation and positioning while navigating through the body, enabling accurate targeting without requiring complex rigid mechanical structures
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible drive shaft replaces complex rigid mechanical transmission systems with a more simple and adaptable flexible mechanism. This substitution enables precise control through the shaft's flexibility while reducing overall device complexity compared to rigid mechanical linkages
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
Enables minimally invasive tissue sampling by effectively cutting and securing samples within a receiving chamber, facilitating non-invasive biopsy procedures while allowing for precise control and efficient sample retrieval.
Implementation Method 1
The flexible drive shaft is linearly movable to motivate the rotatable sampling element along an axis to press the cutting apparatus against the tissue mass and rotatable to impart rotational force to the rotatable sampling element
Implementation Method 2
A cutting apparatus is disposed at a distal end of the cylindrical body to cut the tissue sample from the tissue mass abutting the distal end responsive to rotation of the cylindrical body as the cutting apparatus is pressed against the tissue mass
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for extracting a tissue sample. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes a rotatable sampling element having a cylindrical body that defines a receiving chamber configured to receive therein a tissue sample cut from a tissue mass. A cutting apparatus is disposed at a distal end of the cylindrical body to cut the tissue sample from the tissue mass abutting the distal end responsive to rotation of the cylindrical body as it is pressed against the tissue mass. The apparatus also includes a flexible drive shaft having a distal end fixably engaged with a proximal end of the rotatable sampling element. The flexible drive shaft is linearly movable to motivate the rotatable sampling element to press it against the tissue mass and rotatable to impart rotational force to the rotatable sampling element to cause the rotatable sampling element to rotate around the axis.