Surgical Device Tendon Control Single Incision Triangulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current minimally invasive surgical platforms, such as those for single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS), natural orifice endoluminal surgery (NOES), and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES), face challenges in achieving adequate triangulation, force delivery, stability, and control, which hinder their clinical translation and effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A surgical device with a deployable peripheral structure and tendons connected to surgical tools, allowing for precise manipulation and strong force application, enabling complex movements and tasks through a single incision, and capable of being integrated with existing endoscopes for enhanced control and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional mechanically operated devices are used for minimally invasive surgery, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but adequate triangulation, force delivery, stability and control are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical device is divided into separate functional modules: a shaft for insertion, a deployable peripheral structure for stabilization, and multiple surgical tools with independent tendon control systems. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall system reliability and control.
2Force
If robotic or mechatronic enhanced design is used to overcome challenges, then triangulation and force delivery may be improved, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Complex robotic actuation systems are replaced with a simplified tendon-based mechanical control system. The tendons transmit forces directly from the operator's hands to the surgical tools, providing adequate force delivery through pure mechanical means without requiring complex robotic joints, motors, or sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The deployable peripheral structure acts as an intermediary between the operator and the surgical tools. It provides a stable base and attachment points for tendon control, enabling force delivery and tool manipulation without requiring complex robotic mechanisms at the distal end.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple small key-hole incisions are used, then traditional laparoscopic surgery can be performed, but access trauma is not minimized
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate incisions are merged into a single incision site. The shaft and multiple surgical tools are all introduced through one incision, and the deployable peripheral structure is deployed within the body cavity to provide stabilization, eliminating the need for multiple access points and reducing access trauma.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a single incision approach is used, then access trauma is minimized, but adequate triangulation and bimanual actuating are difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The deployable peripheral structure extends the operational space from a single linear incision path into three-dimensional space within the body cavity. By deploying the peripheral structure radially outward, the system creates multiple working angles and positions for surgical tools, achieving triangulation capability without requiring multiple incisions.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical device (21) comprising a deployable peripheral structure (23) for insertion into a human or animal body, and one or more surgical tools (30) disposed at least partially within the deployable peripheral structure and having a plurality of tendons (24, 25, 26, 27) connected thereto operable to manipulate the or each surgical tool.