Spring-Loaded Surgical Ligation Clip for Consistent Vessel Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical ligation clips face issues with inconsistent ligation force, tendency to slip off vessels, inadequate ligation of small vessels, and complexity in design, leading to difficulties in minimally invasive procedures and increased risk of tissue snagging during installation and removal.
Innovation Solution
A surgical ligation clip with upper and lower support members oriented along the mid-longitudinal axis, connected by a coil, featuring two free ends that terminate proximally and face inward to reduce snagging, providing a pre-loaded double ligation force suitable for small vessels and minimizing tissue interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a crushing action is applied to the clip to permanently deform it for securing to the vessel, then the clip's ability to remain in position is improved, but the clip becomes difficult to remove or reposition and the ligation force becomes variable and inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The clip transitions from a static crushed state to a dynamic spring-loaded state. The spring mechanism allows the clip to maintain consistent ligation force while remaining movable and removable, resolving the contradiction between position stability and ease of removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip changes its physical state from permanently deformed metal to a spring-loaded configuration. This parameter change enables the clip to provide consistent force while maintaining flexibility for removal and repositioning.
2Length of moving object
If the clip is designed with a narrow width to fit through small trocar ports, then the invasiveness of the procedure is reduced, but the clip has little utility for ligating vessels in end-on application and provides only a single point of contact
Solution Approach 1:
The clip extends in the longitudinal dimension while maintaining narrow width, creating a double-ligation configuration that provides multiple contact points along the vessel length, enabling both small port insertion and effective end-on vessel ligation.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip is segmented into multiple active ligation sections along its length, with free ends that can contact the vessel at different points, providing versatile ligation capability while maintaining a narrow profile for minimally invasive insertion.
3Device complexity
If the clip free ends extend beyond the main body, then the clip structure is simpler, but the free ends can be caught or snagged on tissue during installation or removal
Solution Approach 1:
The free ends are configured to move dynamically during installation and removal, allowing them to clear tissue obstacles rather than snagging, while maintaining the simple overall clip structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of truncating the free ends to eliminate snagging risk, the design accepts the free ends and uses their natural extension to advantage, configuring them to clear tissue rather than catch it during manipulation.
4Length of moving object
If a spring-action mechanism is used to provide clip movement and opening, then the clip can be inserted through small ports, but the clip has little or no pre-load and vessels of very small diameter receive little or no ligation force
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism is pre-loaded during clip formation, storing elastic energy that is released to apply consistent ligation force to small vessels, eliminating the need for external crushing force while maintaining minimal port size.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring constant and pre-load parameters are optimized to provide adequate ligation force to small vessels while maintaining the compact size required for insertion through small trocar ports.
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 clip ensures consistent ligation force, reduces loading errors, and minimizes tissue snagging, making it suitable for minimally invasive procedures with smaller trocar diameters, effectively ligating vessels of varying thicknesses.
Implementation Method 1
The clip includes an upper support member oriented generally along the mid-longitudinal axis of the clip, a lower support member oriented generally along the mid-longitudinal axis of the clip, and a connector that joins the upper and lower support members at the proximal end of the clip.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical ligation clip for double ligating a vessel, duct or other fluid carrying structure and a method for double ligating such structure.