Minimally Invasive Surgical Needle With Retractable Cauterizing Wire
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally invasive surgical procedures often require multiple instruments and ports, leading to increased trauma and recovery time, and existing cautery and needle combinations do not efficiently manage tissue cutting and coagulation within a single instrument.
Innovation Solution
A minimally invasive surgical assembly that integrates a hollow needle with an insulating member and a resilient wire for cauterization, allowing for various configurations that enable both tissue cutting and coagulation without the need for additional trocars, using a proximal assembly to move the insulating and elongated members relative to the needle for different operational functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate instruments and ports are used for tissue cutting and coagulation, then functional versatility is improved, but device complexity and tissue trauma increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple surgical functions (tissue cutting via sharp needle, electrocauterization via resilient wire, and insulation via insulating member) into a single integrated surgical needle assembly. This merging eliminates the need for multiple separate instruments and ports, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining functional versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical needle assembly is designed as a universal instrument that can perform multiple functions: cutting tissue with the sharp needle, cauterizing tissue with the electrocauterization element, and controlling current flow through the insulating member. This multi-functionality allows a single device to replace multiple specialized instruments.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate instruments and ports are used for tissue cutting and coagulation, then functional versatility is improved, but tissue trauma and recovery time increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging tissue cutting and coagulation functions into a single needle assembly, the patent minimizes the number of punctures required in the patient's body. This reduces mechanical trauma to tissues and decreases recovery time while maintaining the ability to perform both cutting and coagulation functions.
3Reliability
If cauterization tool is used separately from needle, then cauterization effectiveness is improved, but ease of operation is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cauterization tool and needle into a single integrated assembly, allowing the surgeon to perform both cutting and coagulation procedures with one instrument. This integration improves ease of operation by eliminating the need to switch between separate instruments while maintaining cauterization effectiveness through the resilient wire's ability to maintain electrical contact with tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient wire is designed to be flexible and capable of deflecting to maintain contact with tissue surfaces during cauterization. This dynamic property ensures reliable tissue contact and effective cauterization while allowing the instrument to adapt to varying tissue geometries, improving both effectiveness and ease of operation.
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
This assembly reduces tissue trauma and recovery time by allowing for precise tissue cutting and coagulation within a single instrument, minimizing the need for extra trocars and ports, and enabling the surgical assembly to be easily maneuvered and withdrawn with minimal scarring.
Implementation Method 1
The cautery tool is typically electrified to destroy the tissue. The cautery device may be electrified at different voltages to achieve different functions. At lower voltages, continuous alternating current quickly produces heat that vaporizes tissue at the tip of the cautery tool. At higher voltages, heat is produced more slowly, which causes more widespread tissue damage near the tip of the cautery tool.
Implementation Method 2
an insulating member extending coaxially through and movable relative to the hollow needle
Data Source
AI summary
A minimally invasive surgical assembly broadly includes an outer hollow needle which has an outer diameter, a longitudinal axis, and a sharp distal end. An insulating member extends through the hollow needle and is movable relative to the hollow needle. An elongated member extends through the insulating member and is movable relative to both the insulating member and the hollow needle. A resilient wire projects from the elongated member and is retractable within and extendable outside of the insulating member and the hollow needle. The insulating member, elongated member, and resilient wire are movable relative to the needle using first and second moving means whereby the surgical assembly assumes various configurations having different operational functions.