Side-Loading Operating Room Cable for Electrical Stimulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current implantable electrical stimulation systems face challenges in efficiently coupling implanted leads to trial stimulators during surgical procedures, particularly in ensuring secure and reliable electrical connections while allowing for easy handling and operation by medical practitioners.
Innovation Solution
The development of an improved operating room cable with a lead connector that includes a housing with a stylet slit and inner passage, allowing for side-loading of leads and stylets, which facilitates secure mechanical and electrical coupling with a trial stimulator, enabling one-handed operation without tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional top-loading connector design is used, then the connector structure is simple, but the ease of operation during surgical procedures is reduced and tool operation is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a top-loading connector design to a side-loading connector design. The lead aperture is positioned on the side of the housing rather than the top, allowing leads to be inserted laterally. This dimensional change enables one-handed operation during surgical procedures while maintaining a relatively simple connector structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional loading approach by allowing leads to be inserted from the side rather than from the top. The stylet insertion path is also inverted, with the stylet slit positioned to allow lateral insertion. This inversion enables easier operation without requiring complex tooling.
2Reliability
If a secure locking mechanism is implemented, then the reliability of electrical connection is improved, but the ease of operation and speed of connection is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The connector incorporates a self-locking mechanism where the lead and stylet automatically lock into place upon insertion. The housing structure includes features that guide and secure the lead in the lead aperture and the stylet in the stylet slit without requiring additional locking steps or tools, thus maintaining both reliability and speed.
3Ease of operation
If a side-loading design with stylet slit is implemented, then the ease of operation and one-handed operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the lead insertion function and stylet insertion function into a single housing structure. The lead aperture and stylet slit are integrated into the same housing, allowing both leads and stylets to be loaded from the side simultaneously. This consolidation achieves ease of operation without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
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Figure 2B
AI summary
An operating room cable for electrically coupling a lead to a trial stimulator includes a trial stimulator connector electrically coupleable with the trial stimulator and a lead connector for receiving the lead. The lead connector includes a housing. A first lead aperture is defined in a second end of the housing in proximity to a first side of the housing. A first inner passage extends along an interior of the housing from the first lead aperture to the second end of the housing. A first stylet slit is defined along the first side of the housing and extends from a first end of the housing to the second end of the housing. The first stylet slit is formed between upper and lower casings of the housing. The first stylet slit is continuous with the first lead aperture and the first inner passage.