Single-Port Surgical Instrument Handle Layout for Reduced Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Single port surgical procedures face challenges with instrument handling due to limited space and visibility issues caused by parallel instrument shaft configurations, leading to interference and restricted access to the surgical site.
Innovation Solution
The development of surgical instruments with low-profile handles, curved or angled shafts, and innovative linkage mechanisms that allow for improved ergonomics, reduced interference, and enhanced visibility, including features like rotatable knobs and hydraulic actuation for precise control of end effectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single incision site is used for single port surgery, then patient recovery is improved and surgical access is simplified, but instrument handling becomes difficult and visibility of the surgical site is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an angled shaft configuration that changes the spatial dimension of instrument approach. By angling the shaft at approximately 45 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis, the end effector can access the surgical site from an oblique angle rather than a direct parallel path, creating additional spatial freedom for visualization and manipulation through the single port.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curved or angled configurations in the shaft and handle assembly design. The curved shaft allows the instrument to navigate around other instruments inserted through the same port, while the angled handle configuration enables better ergonomics and control, indirectly improving the ability to manipulate instruments and access the surgical site effectively.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple instrument shafts are positioned parallel to each other in limited space, then all instruments can pass through the single port, but handle interference increases and manipulation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric handle configurations where the handle assembly is angled relative to the shaft longitudinal axis. This asymmetric arrangement allows different instruments to be positioned at different angles, reducing handle interference while maintaining compatibility with the single port system. The asymmetric design enables surgeons to manipulate handles more comfortably without them clashing with adjacent instruments.
Solution Approach 2:
By introducing angular orientation as an additional degree of freedom, the patent allows multiple instruments to be differentiated in three-dimensional space. The angled shaft and handle configuration enables instruments to be positioned at various angles rather than all parallel to each other, creating spatial separation that reduces handle interference while maintaining single port access.
3Productivity
If the laparoscope is positioned along other instrument shafts, then all instruments can be inserted through the single port, but the angle of visibility of instrument tips is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The angled shaft configuration introduces a new spatial dimension for instrument approach. By positioning the shaft at approximately 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis, the end effector can reach the surgical site from an oblique angle, allowing the laparoscope to capture instrument tips from multiple angles and improving visibility without compromising surgical efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Surgical tools that can be used in single port laparoscopic procedures can include a low-profile handle assembly to minimize tool interference adjacent the incision site. For example, a handle assembly for a surgical instrument can have a generally in-line configuration extending linearly along a central longitudinal axis of an elongate shaft of the instrument. A linkage mechanism including a trigger, an actuation link, and an actuation shaft can be positioned within the in-line handle. The linkage mechanism can be pivoted between an open position in which end effectors of the instrument are open and a toggle position in which the end effectors are locked closed. A locking mechanism such as a ratchet mechanism can also be used to lock the end effectors. A surgical dissector can include gripping jaws having a curved profile or an angled elongate shaft to minimize tool interference and maximize visibility within a procedure site.