Rotating Surgical Access Device for Laparoscopic Instrument Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laparoscopic procedures face limitations due to the 'chopstick' effect caused by standard straight cannulas, which restrict instrument positioning and increase postoperative recovery time, pain, and wound complications, especially when multiple incisions are required.
Innovation Solution
A surgical device with a distal and proximal housing that can rotate 360° relative to each other, allowing for flexible positioning of instruments through a single access point, reducing the need for multiple incisions and minimizing tissue trauma.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If standard straight cannulas are used for laparoscopic access, then the procedure is simple to perform, but instrument maneuverability is limited and the chopstick effect occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The cannula incorporates a rotatable inner component that allows dynamic adjustment of the instrument axis relative to the cannula opening. This enables the instrument to be oriented in multiple directions while passing through a single cannula, resolving the limitation of fixed-direction insertion while maintaining ease of cannula placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a rotational degree of freedom to the instrument-cannula system. By allowing the inner component to rotate 360 degrees, the system transitions from a single-axis insertion path to a multi-directional instrument deployment capability, eliminating the chopstick effect while preserving surgical simplicity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple standard cannulas are placed next to each other for instrument access, then instrument positioning is improved, but the chopstick effect increases interference between instruments
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple instrument passage functions into a single cannula by providing multiple sealing ports in different orientations. This consolidation eliminates the physical separation between instruments that causes the chopstick effect, while the rotatable mechanism ensures each instrument can be independently positioned without interfering with others.
Solution Approach 2:
A single cannula is designed to accommodate multiple instruments simultaneously through its rotatable inner component and multiple sealing ports. This multi-functional design allows the same cannula structure to serve multiple instrument access needs, reducing instrument-to-instrument interference while maintaining full positioning versatility.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If mini-laparoscopy with smaller diameter instruments is used, then cosmetic outcome and wound trauma are improved, but instrument durability and performance decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The invention nests multiple sealing ports and sealing elements within a single cannula body. This nested configuration allows the cannula to maintain a larger outer diameter for structural strength and durability while providing multiple access points that minimize the number of separate incisions needed, thus improving cosmetic outcomes without sacrificing instrument robustness.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and devices are provided for accessing a body cavity. In one embodiment, a surgical access device is provided that includes a housing having at least one access or sealing port for receiving a surgical instrument, and a retractor removably coupled to the housing and having a working channel configured to extend into a body cavity. The housing can include releasably matable upper and lower portions, with the upper portion being configured to freely rotate 360° relative to the lower portion and to the retractor when the housing is mated thereto.