Endoscopic Stone Extraction Filament with Expandable Sheath
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current endoscopic stone extraction procedures are cumbersome, requiring multiple steps and often fail to effectively prevent stone migration during fragmentation, as mechanical backstop devices can move or allow fragments to escape, complicating the process and increasing the risk of complications.
Innovation Solution
Endoscopic stone-extraction devices that function as both trapping/backstop and extraction tools, featuring a support filament and sheath that can expand to various shapes (corkscrew, rake, basket, or mesh) to securely hold stones and fragments, allowing for single-port procedures and improved retention within the body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional basket-type devices are used for stone extraction, then stones can be extracted from the body, but the procedures are cumbersome and require multiple steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the backstop device and extraction basket into a single integrated device. The filament structure serves dual purposes: it acts as a backstop to prevent stone migration during fragmentation and as an extraction basket to remove stone fragments. This eliminates the need for separate devices and multiple procedural steps, directly resolving the contradiction between extraction efficiency and procedure complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The filament structure is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides a backstop barrier, enables stone fragmentation retention, and facilitates stone extraction. The same structural elements (filament loops and configuration) serve all these purposes throughout the procedure, reducing the number of device changes and procedural steps required.
2Reliability
If mechanical backstop devices are used to prevent stone migration, then stone movement can be restricted, but the devices can move or allow fragments to escape
Solution Approach 1:
The filament structure is designed to be deployable and configurable within the body lumen. The loops can be expanded to engage stones and adjusted to maintain effective positioning. This dynamic capability allows the device to adapt to anatomical variations and maintain reliable stone retention while remaining stable and controllable during the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The filament structure uses flexible wire construction that can conform to the body lumen and stone geometry. This flexibility allows the backstop to maintain effective contact and retention of stones and fragments while accommodating natural body movements and procedural manipulations, preventing both migration and device instability.
3Reliability
If multiple devices are used for backstop and extraction functions, then stone migration can be prevented and fragments can be removed, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the backstop and extraction basket functions into a single filament-based device structure. The same filament loops and configuration serve both as a backstop barrier and as an extraction basket, eliminating the need to manufacture and coordinate multiple separate devices. This directly reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining extraction effectiveness.
Data Source
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AI summary
An endoscopic stone-extraction device is provided comprising a support filament comprising an end portion, a sheath comprising a lumen, wherein the support filament is disposed in the lumen such that the sheath is slideable with respect to the support filament, and a handle comprising an actuator. Movement of the actuator in a first direction retracts the sheath and causes a shape to expand outside the lumen. Movement of the actuator in a second direction advances the sheath and causes the shape to at least partially collapse inside the lumen. Other embodiments are provided, and any of these embodiments can be used alone or in combination.