Specimen Retrieval Tube Eversion Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current specimen bags used in endoscopic surgery are inefficient for isolating and removing tissue, requiring multiple portals and manual manipulation, which can complicate the procedure and increase the risk of contamination.
Innovation Solution
A specimen tube assembly with a main tube, a tether, and a semi-rigid hoop that can be partially everted to enclose tissue, reducing the number of portals needed and ensuring containment of tissue and fluid within the tube.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional specimen bags (floppy bags or fishing net-style bags) are used, then tissue can be contained and removed, but multiple portals are required and manual manipulation is complex
Solution Approach 1:
The specimen retrieval device combines multiple functions into a single integrated structure. The tube assembly serves as both the containment vessel and the retrieval mechanism, eliminating the need for separate specimen bags and multiple access portals. The device can be inserted through a single portal while performing both containment and extraction functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The distal end of the tube is designed to evert inward, creating a nested configuration where the distal portion is contained within the proximal portion. This nesting mechanism allows the specimen to be trapped inside the everted distal end, which is then pulled through the portal as an integrated unit, reducing the number of components and portals needed.
2Reliability
If traditional specimen bags are used, then tissue can be isolated, but manual manipulation increases contamination risk
Solution Approach 1:
The distal end of the tube is pre-configured to evert inward during the retrieval process. This preliminary structural design ensures that as the tube is pulled through the portal, the distal end automatically inverts and seals the specimen inside, preventing contamination without requiring complex manual manipulation or additional sealing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of opening the specimen bag from the outside and manually placing tissue inside, the invention inverts the distal end of the tube during retrieval, causing the specimen to be trapped inside the everted portion. This inversion mechanism reverses the traditional approach, allowing automatic containment and reducing manual manipulation that could introduce contamination.
3Productivity
If specimen bags require multiple portals for insertion and visualization, then tissue retrieval is possible, but procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tube assembly is designed to perform multiple functions through a single portal: it serves as the access channel, the specimen containment vessel, and the retrieval mechanism. The everted distal end automatically traps and secures the specimen, eliminating the need for separate visualization instruments and manual bag manipulation, thereby improving efficiency while reducing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A specimen retrieval system for easier tissue removal during endoscopic surgery. The device includes a specimen tube with a main tube, and a mechanism for pulling and everting the distal end of the tube into the tube, or a side channel provided within the tube. The mechanism may include a tether fixed to the distal edge of the tube, or a grasper operable to grasp the distal edge of the tube.