Steerable Angled Needle Delivery for Deep Target Injections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medication delivery systems face challenges in accurately guiding needles to deep body targets due to inaccuracy and the inability to steer around obstacles, posing risks of injury and reducing precision.
Innovation Solution
A precision steerable and angled medication delivery system with a control syringe and semi-rigid channel orientation structure, allowing for variable or fixed bend angles and rotational orientations to navigate needles non-parallel to the syringe axis, enabling controlled delivery mechanisms to bypass obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a linear needle guidance path is used, then the device complexity is low, but the manufacturing precision and reliability deteriorate due to inaccuracy in guiding the needle to deep targets
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is divided into multiple segments that can be independently positioned and oriented. Each segment can be adjusted to navigate around obstacles, allowing the needle to reach deep targets with high precision while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure through modular segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle guidance system transitions from a fixed linear path to a dynamic, adjustable configuration. The needle segments can be repositioned and reoriented during the procedure, enabling adaptation to different anatomical landmarks and obstacles, thereby improving guidance precision without requiring complex pre-programmed pathways.
2Reliability
If a linear needle path is used, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability worsens due to inability to steer around obstacles like blood vessels and nerves
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is segmented into multiple controllable sections that can be independently maneuvered. This segmentation enables the needle to navigate around critical structures such as blood vessels and nerves by adjusting individual segments, improving safety and reliability while avoiding the need for a completely complex steering mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle guidance system incorporates multi-dimensional adjustment capabilities, allowing movement not only in the primary insertion direction but also in lateral and angular dimensions. This enables the needle to steer around obstacles by utilizing additional spatial degrees of freedom, enhancing reliability without requiring overly complex mechanical steering systems.
3Manufacturing precision
If direct linear injection is used, then the procedure time is short, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to inaccuracy in deep target placement
Solution Approach 1:
The needle segments are pre-positioned and pre-oriented according to the planned injection pathway before the actual medication delivery. This preliminary configuration ensures high target placement accuracy is achieved in advance, allowing the injection procedure to proceed efficiently without time-consuming adjustments during medication delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle guidance system allows for rapid dynamic adjustments to be made during the procedure. The segments can be quickly repositioned and locked into place, enabling both high precision target placement and efficient procedure completion by minimizing the time spent on adjustments once the optimal path is identified.
4Reliability
If linear needle guidance is used, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability worsens due to increased risk of injury to blood vessels, nerves, and other critical structures
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is divided into multiple segments that can be independently controlled and positioned. This segmentation allows the needle to navigate around critical structures such as blood vessels and nerves by adjusting individual segments, thereby improving patient safety while maintaining a manageable device complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle guidance system incorporates multi-dimensional adjustment capabilities, enabling the needle to steer around obstacles by utilizing lateral and angular movements in addition to the primary insertion direction. This approach enhances patient safety by allowing avoidance of critical structures without requiring overly complex mechanical steering systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A precision steerable and angled medication delivery system and methods of using the same are disclosed. The medication delivery system may include a syringe, a connector orientation structure, and a flexible needle. The system may direct a delivery mechanism in connection with a control syringe to delivery sites within a patient's body. In this manner, therapeutic injections may be performed at precise locations as desired.