Spinal Endoscope Working Channel Cross-Sectional Shape
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spinal endoscopes with smaller working channels face difficulties in performing spinal fusion and artificial disk replacement due to limited space, which compromises the minimally invasive nature of the procedure.
Innovation Solution
A spinal endoscope with an elongate rigid tube featuring a novel working channel design, where a circular arc and linear cross-sectional shape configuration increases the cross-sectional area, allowing for a larger passage of surgical tools and cages, while maintaining a minimal invasion approach.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the elongate rigid tube is made smaller for minimal invasion, then the invasiveness is reduced, but the working channel diameter becomes too small to allow passage of surgical tools for spinal fusion and artificial disk replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The working channel transitions from a conventional circular cross-section to a non-circular cross-section with a flattened side, effectively utilizing spatial reconfiguration within the same outer diameter constraints. This dimensional transformation allows the channel to accommodate larger surgical tools while maintaining the same overall tube size, thus preserving minimal invasiveness while improving tool passage capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the working channel by modifying its cross-sectional shape from circular to non-circular with a flattened portion. This parameter change increases the effective usable space within the channel without increasing the outer diameter of the rigid tube, thereby allowing passage of larger surgical instruments while maintaining small tube size for minimal invasion
2Ease of operation
If the working channel diameter is increased to allow spinal fusion procedures, then tool passage capability is improved, but the tube size must be increased which compromises minimal invasion
Solution Approach 1:
By transforming the working channel from a circular to a non-circular cross-section with a flattened side, the invention creates additional internal space without increasing the outer diameter. This allows spinal fusion tools to pass through while maintaining the same small tube size, thus improving tool passage capability without increasing invasiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The invention modifies the cross-sectional geometry parameters of the working channel, creating a non-circular shape with a flattened portion that maximizes internal volume within the constraints of the outer diameter. This parameter optimization enables accommodation of larger surgical instruments while keeping the tube size small for minimal invasion
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure provides a spinal endoscope (1) comprising an imaging device and an elongate rigid tube (100) coupled to the imaging device, wherein the tube (100) receives therein: a lens (110) coupled to the imaging device to allow observation of a tissue; at least one irrigation channel (120) to allow injection of a cleaning liquid to secure a view for surgery; a working channel (130) to allow passage of a surgery-tool therethrough to a target location, and an optical fiber (140) to allow irradiation of light beams, the spinal endoscope (1) being characterized in that the working channel (130) includes a first portion (132) with a circular arc cross-sectional shape face-contacting and partially corresponding to an inner circumference of the elongate rigid tube (100), and a second portion (134) with a linear cross-sectional shape, wherein the second portion (134) connects both ends of the first portion (132).