Surgical Retractor With Spiral Track For Minimally Invasive Lead Implantation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current implantable electrical stimulation systems face challenges in minimally invasive methods for implanting paddle leads, particularly in reducing tissue trauma, infection risk, healing time, and scarring during spinal cord procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical retractor with radially movable teeth and a spiral track mechanism allows for less invasive implantation of electrical stimulation leads by dilating tissue and providing a defined implantation lumen, facilitating the insertion and removal of leads with reduced tissue trauma.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional implantation methods are used, then leads can be implanted, but tissue trauma and infection risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor is divided into multiple retractors (first retractor, second retractor, etc.) that can be inserted sequentially through the same incision. Each retractor has teeth that can be radially moved to expand the opening, allowing progressive tissue dilation with minimal additional trauma compared to creating a single large opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor teeth are designed to be radially movable rather than fixed. The teeth can be moved radially outward to expand the tissue opening and radially inward to close the opening for lead removal. This dynamic adjustment allows the same device to accommodate different stages of the implantation procedure while minimizing tissue trauma.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive methods are used, then tissue trauma is reduced, but lead implantation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor teeth move in a radial dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the retractor body. This radial movement allows the teeth to expand outward to create sufficient opening for lead implantation while keeping the overall insertion profile slender. The spiral track mechanism converts rotational motion into radial displacement, enabling complex tissue expansion through a simple rotational action.
Solution Approach 2:
The spiral track acts as an intermediary mechanism between the rotational motion applied by the operator and the radial movement of the teeth. Instead of directly pushing the teeth radially outward, the operator rotates the retractor body, and the spiral track translates this rotation into controlled radial expansion of the teeth, simplifying the user's task while achieving the desired tissue dilation.
3Ease of operation
If multiple retractors are used, then lead implantation is facilitated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each retractor is designed with the same fundamental structure and functionality, allowing any of the multiple retractors to perform the same task of creating and expanding the tissue opening. The first retractor, second retractor, and any additional retractors are substantially identical in design, enabling interchangeability and simplifying manufacturing and sterilization processes despite having multiple components.
Data Source
AI summary
A retractor for implanting a lead of an electrical stimulation system includes multiple retractor teeth defining an implantation lumen; multiple pin arrangements that each include a base coupled to one of the retractor teeth and at least one pin extending from the base; a spiral track having multiple spiral indentations and multiple spiral ridges separating the spiral indentations with at least one pin of each of the pin arrangements engaging one of the spiral indentations of the spiral track; and a handle coupled to the spiral track to rotate the spiral track. The retractor is configured and arranged to radially move the retractor teeth as the spiral track is rotated.