Surgical Grasping Device Anchoring Endoscope via Nested Jaw Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally invasive surgical procedures using flexible endoscopes face challenges in anchoring and maneuvering the distal portion of the endoscope within the body, particularly in providing a stable grip on tissue while allowing other surgical instruments to operate through the same working channel.
Innovation Solution
A surgical grasping device comprising a grasping head and a translating member that can transition between open and closed positions, allowing the endoscope to anchor onto tissue and provide a greater range of motion, while enabling other instruments to pass through the working channel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a grasping device is used to anchor the distal portion of the endoscope, then positioning accuracy and stability are improved, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grasping device is inserted through the working channel of the endoscope, with the jaw members and translating member nested within the hollow shaft. The entire grasping device can be passed through the endoscope's working channel, allowing anchoring functionality to be added without requiring a separate access route or significantly increasing external device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The grasping device is divided into distinct functional components: jaw members for anchoring, a translating member for actuation, and a hollow shaft for structural support. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates passage through the endoscope's working channel while providing stable tissue anchoring capability.
2Reliability
If the grasping head is designed to provide a stable grip on tissue, then anchoring reliability is improved, but the ability to allow other instruments to pass through the working channel is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow shaft is designed to be optionally removable from the working channel after the grasping head has been deployed and anchored to tissue. This extraction of the shaft component allows other surgical instruments to pass through the working channel while the grasping head remains in place to provide stable anchoring and articulation control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static configuration where the shaft blocks the working channel to a dynamic state where the shaft can be removed proximally while the grasping head remains anchored. This dynamic reconfiguration enables both reliable tissue anchoring and subsequent passage of other instruments through the same working channel.
3Ease of operation
If the translating member is made movable to enable opening and closing of jaw members, then ease of operation is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The translating member is actuated by applying force along its longitudinal axis, which translates this linear motion into opening and closing movement of the jaw members through the mechanical linkage of the clevis and shuttle components. This simple mechanical translation mechanism provides intuitive ease of operation without requiring complex control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical grasping device is disclosed. The surgical grasping device may comprise a clevis; a first jaw member pivotably coupled to the clevis; a second jaw member pivotably coupled to the clevis; and an actuating mechanism coupled to the clevis, the first jaw member and the second jaw member and a translating member coupled to and extending proximally from the actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism may be configured to cause the first jaw member and the second jaw member to close in response to a first proximally directed force received via the translating member. The actuating mechanism may also be configured to cause the first jaw member and the second jaw member to open in response to a subsequent proximally directed force received via the translating member.