Splittable Needle with C-Shaped Shafts for Safe Probe Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current splittable needles used in urology and oncology are difficult to split along their entire length and pose a risk of sharp edges causing harm, limiting their ability to be partially opened for measurements or treatments, especially when trying to determine the effectiveness of chemotherapy or introduce catheters.
Innovation Solution
A splittable needle design featuring two C-shaped shaft elements that can be detachably connected with overlapping end sections and projections for secure alignment, allowing for axial movement to expose a probe for tissue inspection, including optical fibers and fixation wires, enabling partial splitting and safe reassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rolled tear line is used to enable splitting of the needle, then the needle can be split into two parts, but the tear line is not along the complete needle making splitting difficult at certain parts and requiring the needle to be completely outside the body for splitting
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is divided into two separate shaft elements (first shaft element and second shaft element) that can be detached from each other. Each shaft element has a C-shaped cross-section with open ends, allowing them to be separated and reconnected. This segmentation enables the needle to be split into two functional parts that can be manipulated independently, solving the problem of incomplete tear lines and enabling partial splitting while the needle is inside the body.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the needle is split into two parts, then the needle can be opened to perform measurements or treatments, but the edges become very sharp creating a risk of causing harm to the patient or physician
Solution Approach 1:
The first shaft element is inserted into the second shaft element, creating a nested structure where one shaft element is housed within the other. This nesting arrangement allows the shaft elements to be held together securely during use, preventing exposure of sharp edges to the patient or physician, while still enabling the needle to be split into two functional parts for measurements or treatments when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft elements are designed with pre-formed C-shaped cross-sections and complementary geometric features (protrusions and recesses) that enable easy connection and secure nesting before use. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the needle is split, the edges are already configured to minimize injury risk, and the shaft elements can be quickly reconnected without exposing sharp edges during the reconnection process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the needle shaft elements are detachably connected, then the needle can be partially split to create openings for probe accommodation, but secure alignment and positioning of the shaft elements relative to each other must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft elements feature asymmetric geometric configurations including protrusions on one shaft element and corresponding recesses on the other shaft element. These asymmetric features are positioned at specific locations to ensure proper orientation and alignment when the shaft elements are connected. This asymmetry prevents incorrect assembly and maintains precise relative positioning of the shaft elements, enabling partial splitting while preserving alignment accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
A needle comprises an elongated first shaft element with a C-shaped cross section and an elongated second shaft element with a C-shaped cross section. The first shaft element and the second shaft element are adapted to be detachably connected to each other. This is achieved by an overlap of respective end sections of the first and second shaft elements. Within the channel formed by the shaft elements, an optical probe may be accommodated from which the shaft elements may be removed by separating the two shaft elements from each other.