Surgical System with Integrated Optical Vessel Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical methods lack effective means to accurately identify and characterize blood vessels in minimally invasive procedures, leading to potential vascular damage during surgery, resulting in significant financial and health consequences.
Innovation Solution
A surgical system incorporating a tubular shaft with pivotally attached jaws and integrated light emitters and sensors, utilizing a flexible substrate to simplify the connection and placement of these components without complicating the instrument's design or operation, allowing for real-time detection of blood vessels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If surgical systems integrate light emitters and sensors to detect blood vessels, then measurement precision of vessel identification is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent places light emitters and sensors inside the hollow shaft of the surgical instrument, nesting the detection components within the existing instrument structure. This allows vessel detection functionality to be integrated without adding external components that would increase device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical instrument serves multiple functions: it acts as both a cutting instrument and a vessel detection system. The light emitters and sensors are integrated into the same instrument that performs surgical cutting, eliminating the need for separate detection devices and reducing overall system complexity
2Reliability
If surgical instruments incorporate additional detection components, then reliability of vessel identification is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By nesting light emitters and sensors within the existing hollow shaft structure, the patent avoids the need for separate housing or additional external components. This reduces assembly steps and manufacturing complexity while maintaining reliable vessel detection functionality
3Loss of time
If minimally invasive surgical procedures are used, then loss of time for patient recovery is improved, but measurement precision of vessel identification deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces tactile sensation (mechanical sense of touch) with optical detection using light emitters and sensors. This substitution allows minimally invasive procedures to maintain accurate vessel identification capabilities that were previously only available through direct visualization and tactile feedback in open surgery
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces light as an intermediary medium to transmit information about blood vessels from the surgical site to the surgeon. The light emitters illuminate the tissue and sensors detect the reflected or transmitted light, providing real-time vessel identification information without requiring direct visual exposure or tactile contact
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 solution enables accurate and real-time identification of blood vessels, reducing the risk of vascular damage and associated costs, while maintaining the simplicity and minimally invasive nature of the surgical procedure.
Implementation Method 1
at least one light emitter and at least one light sensor... enabling accurate and real-time identification of blood vessels
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical system includes a tubular shaft having a wall defining an outer surface and an inner surface disposed about an inner space, the tubular shaft having a proximal end and a distal end. The surgical system also includes at least one light emitter and at least one light sensor disposed at the distal end of the tubular shaft, and one or more leads or conductors electrically coupled to the at least one light emitter or the at least one light sensor. The one or more leads may be disposed in clearances defined by first and second jaws. Alternatively or in addition, the one or more conductors may be formed on a flexible substrate, and the flexible substrate may have a deformed state in which the substrate is disposed in the inner space.