Surgical Instrument Interchangeable Micro-Tips
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrosurgical instruments have fixed probes that limit shape variability and require additional instruments to draw tissue, hindering efficient tissue manipulation during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument with a deployable toolbox that includes interchangeable micro-tips, allowing for selective securing and deployment of micro-tips to a connection arm, enabling variable probe shapes and tissue manipulation without additional instruments, and facilitating bipolar or monopolar electrosurgical energy delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed probe is used in electrosurgical instruments, then the instrument structure is simple, but the shape variability and tissue manipulation capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The probe is divided into a fixed portion and an interchangeable micro-tip portion. The micro-tip can be selectively removed and replaced with different shapes to vary the probe configuration, enabling shape variability while keeping the main instrument structure simple and fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
A single electrosurgical instrument is designed to perform multiple functions by accepting different micro-tips. The instrument can draw tissue, cut, coagulate, and perform other electrosurgical functions by simply changing the micro-tip attachment, eliminating the need for multiple separate instruments.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional instruments are used to draw tissue, then tissue manipulation capability is enhanced, but the number of instruments and procedural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electrosurgical instrument is designed with dual functionality: it can both deliver electrosurgical energy and draw targeted tissue using the same instrument body. Different micro-tips provide various tissue manipulation capabilities including drawing, cutting, and coagulating, eliminating the need for separate tissue manipulation instruments.
Solution Approach 2:
The tissue drawing function and electrosurgical energy delivery function are merged into a single instrument. The micro-tip serves both as a tissue manipulation tool and an energy delivery electrode, combining multiple functions that traditionally required separate instruments into one integrated device.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the instrument is removed from surgical site to change tip, then tip variability is achieved, but procedural time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The probe is segmented into a fixed portion and an interchangeable micro-tip portion that can be quickly attached and detached. This segmentation allows rapid tip changes at the surgical site without removing the entire instrument, minimizing procedural time while maintaining tip variability.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple micro-tips can be pre-loaded or prepared for quick exchange. The instrument design includes pre-configured attachment mechanisms that allow surgeons to rapidly swap between different micro-tip shapes during the procedure without time-consuming reconfiguration.
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
Enables flexible electrosurgical energy delivery and tissue manipulation, reducing the need for instrument changes and minimizing procedural time and cost by allowing tip changes during surgery without removing the instrument from the surgical site.
Implementation Method 1
The connection tip may include an electromagnet or a vacuum passage.
Implementation Method 2
The connection tip may include an electromagnet or a vacuum passage.
Implementation Method 3
The basic purpose of both monopolar and bipolar electrosurgery is to produce heat to achieve the desired tissue/clinical effect.
Implementation Method 4
Electrosurgery involves application of high-frequency electrical current to a surgical site to cut, ablate, coagulate, cauterize or seal tissue.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument includes a housing, a shaft extending from the housing, and an end effector assembly that is disposed at a distal end of the shaft. The end effector assembly includes a tubular portion, a connection arm, and a toolbox. The tubular portion defines a lumen and the connection arm is extendable from the lumen. The toolbox has a micro-tip that is configured to be selectively secured to a connection tip of the connection arm. The toolbox has a transport configuration where the toolbox is disposed within the lumen and a deployed configuration where the toolbox is disposed entirely outside of the lumen.