Soft Protective Tip for Surgical Laser Fiber Erosion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical fibers cause damage to the endoscope's working channel and suffer from erosion during lithotripsy procedures, leading to limitations in treatment energy, fiber diameter, and prolonged treatment times, with existing solutions like ball tips and hollow steel tips either failing to provide adequate protection or exacerbating the damage.
Innovation Solution
A soft, cylindrical protective tip made of resilient materials like nylon or Teflon is fitted over the optical fiber to prevent erosion and protect the endoscope, maintaining a spacing from the stone and reducing contact-induced charring, while allowing fluid flow and minimizing scope damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ball-shaped or spherical fiber end is used to protect the scope, then the scope is protected during insertion, but the fiber end erodes quickly during lasing and provides little to no protection during repositioning
Solution Approach 1:
The protective tip is pre-formed as a hollow cylindrical structure with a rounded opening, prepared in advance to cover the fiber end before insertion. This preliminary preparation ensures immediate protection upon insertion without requiring post-insertion modification or re-cleaving operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective tip acts as an intermediary component between the fiber end and the working channel. It is attached to the fiber end to provide mechanical protection during insertion and repositioning, while its hollow cylindrical design with rounded opening allows laser energy to pass through to the target tissue.
2Productivity
If the fiber end is extended from the scope for treatment, then the laser can treat the stone, but the fiber end contacts the stone and causes erosion and charring
Solution Approach 1:
The protective tip serves as a mediator between the fiber end and the stone. Its hollow cylindrical structure with rounded opening allows laser energy to pass through to treat the stone, while the tip itself contacts the stone to prevent direct contact between the fiber end and the stone, thereby reducing erosion and charring.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective tip is attached to the fiber end in advance to provide a cushioning layer that prevents direct contact between the fiber end and the stone during treatment. This beforehand protection reduces the harmful effects of contact-induced erosion and charring while allowing effective laser treatment.
3Productivity
If the fiber diameter is reduced for smaller lithotripsy fibers, then less stone retro-repulsion occurs, but the fiber becomes more susceptible to damage and erosion
Solution Approach 1:
The protective tip acts as an intermediary protection layer for smaller diameter fibers. It provides mechanical protection during insertion and repositioning, and prevents direct contact with the stone during treatment, thereby reducing erosion and charring that would otherwise affect the durability of the smaller fiber.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective tip is attached beforehand to provide cushioning protection for the smaller fiber diameter. This advance protection prevents the fiber from suffering damage during insertion and treatment, enabling the use of smaller fibers with reduced retro-repulsion while maintaining fiber durability.
4Ease of operation
If the fiber is inserted into the endoscope, then the treatment can be performed, but the fiber scores or punctures the soft working channel of the endoscope
Solution Approach 1:
The protective tip serves as an intermediary between the fiber end and the working channel. Its rounded opening and protective structure prevent the fiber end from scoring or puncturing the soft working channel during insertion, while still allowing the fiber to be inserted for treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective tip is attached beforehand to provide cushioning protection for the working channel. This advance protection prevents direct contact between the fiber end and the soft working channel, eliminating the risk of scoring or puncturing while enabling successful insertion for treatment.
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
The soft tip reduces the need for frequent re-cleaving, minimizes scope damage, and prevents charring, allowing for higher treatment energies and smaller fiber diameters, thereby reducing treatment time and expense.
Implementation Method 1
held in place by welding or a compression fit
Implementation Method 2
reduce erosion of the end face of the fiber during lasing, by extending beyond an end of the fiber and thereby maintaining a predetermined spacing between the end of the fiber and a stone or other tissue
Implementation Method 3
preventing or reducing the chance of contact between the fiber tip and the stone or tissue being treated, charring of the fiber caused by spikes in energy entering the fiber due to the light flashes can be eliminated
Implementation Method 4
allowing fluid flow and minimizing scope damage
Data Source
AI summary
A distal end of an optical fiber may be protected by a variety of alternative protective caps, tips, and/or sleeves. In one example, a generally cylindrical soft tip is arranged to fit over the end of the fiber, and to compress in an axial direction when pressed against a stone to allow a recessed tip of the fiber to contact the stone or to be maintain a minimum spacing between the fiber tip and the stone and thereby limit erosion of the fiber tip.