Surgical Needle Sensor Depth Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
During surgical procedures, there is a risk of penetrating sensitive areas, such as bowel structures, when trying to access a site of interest, which can lead to trauma or the spread of contents within the surgical site.
Innovation Solution
A surgical device equipped with a sensor and control unit that measures the thickness of a feature of interest and adjusts or prevents the penetration depth of the needle to avoid sensitive areas, thereby preventing trauma or contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the needle is advanced deeper to reach the site of interest, then the surgical objective is achieved, but the risk of contacting and traumatizing sensitive areas increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor the needle's proximity to sensitive structures and provide real-time feedback to the control unit. When the needle approaches a sensitive area, the sensor detects this and sends a signal to prevent further advancement, thereby avoiding trauma while maintaining surgical effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely mechanical depth control with an integrated sensor-based control system. The sensor detects the presence of sensitive structures and electronically controls the needle advancement mechanism, substituting mechanical intuition with precise electronic sensing and control
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a more invasive surgical procedure is used to avoid trauma to sensitive areas, then the safety of sensitive areas is improved, but the complexity and invasiveness of the procedure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is positioned in advance within the needle assembly before the surgical procedure begins. It continuously monitors the surrounding environment during needle insertion, allowing the system to preventively identify and avoid sensitive structures before contact occurs, eliminating the need for more invasive protective measures
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor acts as an intermediary between the needle and sensitive structures. It detects the proximity of sensitive areas and provides information to the control unit, which then adjusts needle advancement accordingly. This intermediary sensing mechanism enables precise control without requiring overly invasive procedural modifications
3Manufacturing precision
If the needle advancing mechanism is made adjustable to control insertion depth, then the precision of penetration depth is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the needle advancing mechanism with the sensor system and control unit into an integrated assembly. The sensor is incorporated directly into the needle tip or shaft, and the control electronics are integrated with the advancement mechanism, allowing depth control through a unified system rather than separate components, thereby managing complexity while achieving precise control
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical needle (10) comprising: (a) a sensor (12); (b) a distal tip (16) with the sensor being located at the distal tip; (c) a needle advancing mechanism that is adjustable to change an insertion depth; and (d) a control unit (30) in communication with the needle advancing mechanism; wherein the sensor provides a signal to the control unit regarding a thickness of a feature of interest and the control unit controls the insertion depth based upon the signal from the sensor so that the insertion depth into the feature of interest is varied or the control unit prevents the needle advancing mechanism from activating.