Surgical Access Port with Cooling Conduits and Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current minimally invasive surgical access systems face challenges in effectively cooling surgical sites to prevent tissue damage and inflammation, and they often require larger incisions for illumination, which can lead to increased tissue damage and scarring.
Innovation Solution
A surgical access system with a body member having conduits for circulating chilled fluids or gases, such as water or nitrogen, to cool tissues and an optical-grade material for illuminating the surgical site through the access system itself, reducing the need for larger incisions and minimizing tissue damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a surgical access system uses retractors to provide unencumbered path to surgical site, then instrument access is improved, but tissue pressure increases causing cellular necrosis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the retractor function with cooling capability by integrating cooling conduits into the retractor structure. This allows the same device that provides mechanical access and retraction also to deliver chilled fluid for tissue protection, eliminating the need for separate cooling devices and reducing overall tissue compression.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces chilled fluid as an intermediary substance that transfers heat away from the tissue. The cooling fluid circulates through conduits in the retractor, acting as a thermal mediator between the retractor and the tissue, thereby reducing cellular necrosis caused by pressure and ischemia.
2Illumination intensity
If larger incisions are made to accommodate illumination instruments, then illumination quality is improved, but tissue damage and scarring increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the access port multi-functional by integrating illumination capabilities directly into the retractor structure. The same access port used for instrument insertion also contains optical elements for illumination, eliminating the need for separate illumination instruments and larger incisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the illumination function from separate external light sources and integrates it into the retractor structure itself. By taking out the illumination capability and embedding it in the access port, the system eliminates the need for additional incisions while maintaining adequate lighting.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate devices are used for retraction and illumination, then functional requirements are met, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate devices (retractor, illumination source, cooling system) into a single integrated access port assembly. The retractor incorporates both mechanical retraction elements and optical/cooling components, reducing the number of separate devices and simplifying the surgical setup.
Solution Approach 2:
The access port is designed as a universal device that performs multiple functions simultaneously: mechanical retraction, light transmission for illumination, and chilled fluid delivery for cooling. This multi-functionality reduces the overall device count while meeting all functional requirements.
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 system effectively reduces tissue damage, inflammation, and scarring by maintaining a hypothermic state and providing adequate illumination without occupying space within the access pathway, thus enhancing surgical precision and recovery outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
A chilled fluid is circulated through the at least one conduit so as to cool the tissue located proximate the body member
Implementation Method 2
an optical-grade material for illuminating the surgical site through the access system itself
Data Source
AI summary
A method of thermally treating tissue during a surgical procedure where a surgical access device, including a body member having walls with at least one conduit therein, is inserted into the patient. A chilled fluid is circulated through the at least one conduit such that the tissue that is located proximate the body member is cooled. Alternatively, the body member may be constructed from a highly thermally conductive material such that heat energy is transmitted through the body from the tissue located proximate the body member and into a heat sink. The surgical device may include a first or second blade portions constructed from an inner and an outer shell having walls. Ribs located on the inner shell sealingly coupled to the inner wall of the outer shell to create the at least one conduit within the walls of the blade portion.