Surgical Blade Assembly with Interchangeable Inner Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional powered elongate blade assemblies for surgical procedures face challenges in accommodating various angular configurations and tissue types due to the difficulty in inserting and removing flexible inner members from bent outer members, leading to increased costs from the need for multiple assemblies.
Innovation Solution
The design of elongate outer tubular members with varying configurations, including straight and angled portions, allows for interchangeable inner members to be easily inserted and removed, reducing the need for multiple blade assemblies by increasing the diameter of the outer member at bent sections to accommodate the inner member's passage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the outer member is bent to achieve angular configurations for reaching specific anatomical locations, then the adaptability of the blade assembly is improved, but the ease of inserting and removing the inner member deteriorates due to very small clearance between the outer diameter of the cutting tip and the inner diameter of the outer member
Solution Approach 1:
The outer member is designed with non-uniform diameter along its length, specifically having a larger diameter at the proximal end compared to the distal end. This local variation in diameter creates sufficient clearance at the proximal end to facilitate easy insertion and removal of the inner member, while maintaining the desired angular configuration and tight fit at the distal end for precise cutting performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade assembly is divided into two interchangeable components: the outer member (tubular shaft) and the inner member (cutting tip). This segmentation allows the inner member to be inserted into and removed from the outer member, enabling flexibility in configuration while solving the insertion/removal difficulty through the diameter variation design of the outer member.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple elongate blade assemblies are provided to accommodate various surgical requirements, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The outer member is designed as a universal component that can accommodate multiple different inner members with various cutting tip configurations. The standardized interface with sufficient clearance at the proximal end allows a single outer member to serve multiple surgical purposes by simply changing the inner member, thereby reducing the need for multiple complete blade assemblies.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the blade assembly into interchangeable outer and inner members, the system allows surgeons to mix and match different inner members with compatible outer members, reducing the total number of assemblies needed while maintaining versatility for various surgical requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical elongate blade assembly with an interchangeable inner member such that the interchangeable inner member can be removed from a tubular outer member and inserted into another tubular outer member having a different configuration during a surgical procedure. The outer members and inner members can be provided as a kit. In one embodiment the outer member has a distal end and a tubular wall with the inner diameter of the tubular wall being greater than the inner diameter of the distal end.