Self-Aligning Snare for Endoscopic Tissue Resection

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tissue resection devices face axial misalignment issues with deployed snare loops, which hinder effective ensnaring and retrieval of tissue during procedures, requiring re-deployment and increasing procedural complexity.

Innovation Solution

A rotating and self-aligning snare device is designed with an actuation element and snare loop, where the actuation element includes a pre-formed curvature that interacts with the lumen's bend to urge the snare loop into alignment with the distal end of the elongate member, ensuring concentric alignment with the endoscope's operating end for efficient tissue capture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a traditional snare loop is deployed through an endoscope, then the snare can be positioned at the distal end, but the snare loop becomes axially misaligned with the endoscope's operating end, requiring re-deployment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment accuracyVSAvoiddeployment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The actuation element is pre-formed with a curvature that matches the lumen's bend, so that when the actuation element is advanced through the lumen, the pre-formed curvature automatically guides the snare loop into proper alignment with the distal end of the endoscope, eliminating the need for re-deployment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The actuation element incorporates a pre-formed curvature that corresponds to the radial outward bend of the lumen, allowing the actuation element to naturally follow the lumen's path and deliver the snare loop in the correct orientation without requiring additional alignment maneuvers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Reliability

If the snare loop is deployed without alignment features, then the device structure remains simple, but the snare loop cannot be reliably aligned with the endoscope's suction ring cap for effective tissue ensnaring

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveensnaring effectivenessVSAvoidactuation element structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The actuation element is pre-formed with a curvature that matches the lumen's bend, so that when the actuation element is advanced through the lumen, the pre-formed curvature automatically guides the snare loop into proper alignment with the distal end of the endoscope, eliminating the need for re-deployment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The actuation element incorporates a pre-formed curvature that corresponds to the radial outward bend of the lumen, allowing the actuation element to naturally follow the lumen's path and deliver the snare loop in the correct orientation without requiring additional alignment maneuvers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS11259833B2Resection devices and related methods of deployment

Publication Date: 2022.03.01 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC

AI summary

A medical/surgical device for performing tissue resection can include an endoscope with proximal and distal ends, defining working channels, and a snare assembly located in one of the working channels. The working channel may include a bend near the distal end and towards the outward radial wall of the endoscope. The snare assembly may include a snare loop and an actuation element imparted with the pre-formed angular bends and an actuation control handle. The bends of the actuation element and the working channel may be the same. The rotational manipulation of the actuation element may synchronize the pre-formed bend of the actuation element with the bend of the working channel to concentrically (or otherwise) align the deployed snare loop with the endoscope or endoscope attachments.