Surgical Needle With Movable Stylet For Hip Arthroscopy
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Solution Overview
Problem
In arthroscopic surgery, particularly in hip arthroscopy, creating access portals is challenging due to the lack of direct visualization, leading to potential damage from blind needle placement, especially when encountering the delicate articular cartilage and the tough, leather-like hip joint capsule.
Innovation Solution
A surgical needle with a movable stylet featuring a deformable tip that extends beyond the bevel when exiting the capsule but before contacting the femoral head, minimizing damage by inhibiting contact with the femoral head and providing tactile feedback for precise portal creation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a sharp needle is used to pierce the capsule, then the needle can penetrate the tough capsule, but the surgeon risks popping through the capsule uncontrollably and accidentally damaging tissue beyond the capsule
Solution Approach 1:
The stylet is made movable relative to the needle body, allowing it to extend and retract dynamically. When the needle encounters resistance (capsule), the stylet retracts to reduce the effective cutting edge, preventing uncontrolled penetration. When the needle exits the capsule, the stylet extends to protect against contacting the femoral head. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between penetrating the tough capsule and preventing uncontrolled rupture.
Solution Approach 2:
The stylet acts as an intermediary element between the needle body and the tissue. It provides a protective function by extending beyond the needle tip when the needle exits the capsule, preventing direct contact between the needle tip and the femoral head. The stylet mediates between the need for sharp penetration and the need to protect delicate structures.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the stylet is extended beyond the bevel, then the deformable tip can protect the femoral head from accidental contact, but the needle resistance increases making tissue penetration more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The stylet dynamically adjusts its position based on tissue resistance. During penetration, when the needle encounters resistance, the stylet retracts to minimize the effective cutting edge and reduce penetration force requirements. When the needle exits the capsule and encounters the deformable tip, the stylet extends to protect the femoral head. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between protection and penetration force.
Solution Approach 2:
The effective length of the stylet protruding beyond the bevel changes based on tissue resistance. The deformable tip can compress under pressure, effectively changing the geometry and resistance characteristics. This parameter change allows the system to adapt between protection mode (extended stylet) and penetration mode (retracted stylet).
3Ease of operation
If blind needle placement is performed without visual aid, then the procedure can be performed minimally invasively, but a majority of iatrogenic damage is created in the femoral head
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable tip acts as an intermediary protective element between the needle and the femoral head. Even during blind placement, when the needle approaches the femoral head, the deformable tip compresses and extends to create a protective barrier, preventing direct contact and iatrogenic damage. This allows minimally invasive surgery to proceed without visual aid while protecting against the identified harmful effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable tip provides beforehand cushioning by being positioned to contact the femoral head before the needle tip can cause damage. The stylet extends in advance when the needle exits the capsule, creating a protective cushion that absorbs or prevents the harmful contact between the needle and the delicate femoral head surface.
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
The surgical needle reduces iatrogenic damage by allowing controlled penetration of soft tissues and the hip capsule, enabling precise portal creation without visual aid, while the deformable tip protects the femoral head from accidental contact.
Implementation Method 1
The tip includes a first portion extending a longitudinal length, distally, from the distal region of the elongated body and terminating at a distal facing surface. The tip further includes a second portion extending between the distal facing surface and the distal terminus. The second portion comprises a deformable second material.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides examples of a surgical needle for entering a joint space, such as the hip joint, through tissue.