Surgical Camera Assembly Single Access Point Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally-invasive surgical procedures face challenges in visualizing internal surgical sites due to the need for multiple access openings for surgical cameras and illumination sources, which increases insertion/removal complexity and space usage within the body.
Innovation Solution
A surgical camera assembly comprising a camera member with a needle-shaped shaft and a receptacle member that electrically couples to facilitate penetration and visualization, allowing for single-access-point mounting within tissue, reducing the need for multiple openings and simplifying instrumentation insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple surgical cameras and illumination sources are inserted through separate access portals, then visualization quality is improved, but device complexity and procedural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple surgical cameras and illumination sources into a single integrated surgical camera assembly that can be inserted through one access portal. The assembly includes a common housing containing multiple cameras positioned at different angles and multiple illumination sources, allowing panoramic and three-dimensional visualization to be achieved through a single insertion point rather than multiple separate portals.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical camera assembly is designed as a multi-functional device that simultaneously performs panoramic visualization, three-dimensional visualization, and illumination functions through a single integrated unit. The assembly can provide multiple viewing angles and comprehensive lighting without requiring separate instruments for each function.
2Loss of information
If multiple access openings are created for surgical cameras, then visualization coverage is improved, but patient trauma increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple camera systems and illumination sources into a single surgical camera assembly that accesses the surgical site through one portal, thereby reducing the number of access openings required while maintaining comprehensive visualization coverage through multi-angle cameras and distributed illumination sources within the assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical camera assembly employs a nested structure where multiple cameras and illumination sources are housed within a common external housing. This nested arrangement allows multiple functional components to be delivered through a single access portal, minimizing patient trauma while providing comprehensive visualization and illumination capabilities.
3Device complexity
If multiple instruments are inserted through the same access portal, then access point number is reduced, but space constraints and insertion complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple surgical instruments (cameras and illumination sources) into a single integrated assembly with a common housing and shared access portal interface. This consolidation reduces the number of separate insertion maneuvers required while providing coordinated multi-angle visualization and illumination through the single access point.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical camera assembly serves as a universal multi-functional instrument that simultaneously provides panoramic visualization, three-dimensional visualization, and illumination through a single integrated unit. The assembly's multiple cameras are positioned at different angles within the housing to achieve comprehensive coverage without requiring separate instruments.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical camera assembly includes a camera member and a receptacle member. The camera member includes a camera head and a shaft. The shaft includes at least one electrical contact positioned towards a free end thereof. The at least one electrical contact is electrically coupled to the camera head. The receptacle member is configured to releasably receive the free end of the shaft and includes at least one electrical contact that is configured to electrically couple to the at least one electrical contact of the shaft to establish electrical communication between the camera head and the receptacle member when the free end of the shaft is received within the receptacle member.