Surgical Fluid Cassette and Handpiece Control for Real-Time Flow Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical devices lack efficient and integrated fluid management systems that enable real-time control and monitoring of fluid flow, leading to potential operational inefficiencies and safety risks during surgical procedures.

Innovation Solution

A fluid cassette and remote control assembly that includes a cassette with fluid lines, an electronics board, and a remote control attachment, which allows for wireless communication with a console to control fluid pumping and device operation, featuring sensors for handpiece feedback and user inputs for real-time control, enabling seamless integration with surgical devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fluid management systems are integrated into surgical devices, then fluid control and monitoring capabilities are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid control reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The remote control attachment integrates multiple functional components (sensors, user input interface, output device, electrical connector) into a compact unit that attaches to the handpiece, creating a nested structure where control functions are embedded within the surgical device ecosystem without significantly increasing overall complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The fluid management system is segmented into distinct modular components: the cassette with fluid lines, the remote control attachment with control interfaces, and the console with processing capabilities. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If wireless communication is implemented between cassette and console, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical/wired communication interfaces with wireless communication technology between the cassette electronics board and the console. This substitution eliminates physical connectors and wiring harnesses, simplifying the user interface and improving ease of operation while the wireless communication module handles the increased technical complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If real-time feedback through sensors is implemented, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The remote control attachment incorporates sensors that provide real-time feedback about handpiece properties to the console, enabling precise measurement and monitoring. This feedback loop allows the system to adjust fluid delivery and provide accurate measurements while the sensor data is processed wirelessly through the established communication channel, minimizing additional complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4249010B1Devices, systems, and methods facilitating fluid-assisted surgical tissue treatment
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 MEDTRONIC XOMED LLC
  • EP4249010B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4249010B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4249010B1 patent drawingFigure 4A

AI summary

A cassette and remote control assembly includes a cassette, a remote control attachment, and an electrical connector. The cassette includes a fluid line coupled between a fluid input and a fluid output and is configured to couple to a console to enable pumping of fluid along the fluid line. The cassette also includes an electronics board configured to communicate with the console. The remote control attachment is configured to releasably attach to a handpiece of a surgical device and includes at least one sensor configured to sense at least one property of the handpiece, a user input interface configured to receive a clinician input, and/or an output device configured to output an indicator. The electrical connector connects the remote control attachment with the cassette, thereby electrically coupling the electronics board of the cassette with the sensor, the user input interface, and/or the output device of the remote control attachment.