Surgical Tunneler With Quick Connector Lance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical tools for tunneling cables through the skin are cumbersome, require multiple tools, and lack ease of use and versatility, particularly in bi-directional tunneling and handling, leading to increased procedural time and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A surgical tunneler assembly featuring an elongate lance with quick connector couplings, a handle with a spring-loaded ring lock, and a cable adapter that securely engages and disengages from the lance, allowing for easy attachment and detachment, and a gripping feature for improved control and leverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a handle is removed from the elongate lance to allow manipulation, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for robust attachment and removal mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The tunneler is divided into separate components: an elongate lance with piercing ends and a removable handle. This segmentation allows the handle to be detached when manipulation is needed, improving ease of operation while maintaining a simple attachment mechanism through the quick connector
Solution Approach 2:
The handle attachment is designed to be dynamic rather than fixed. The quick connector allows the handle to be easily attached and removed based on procedural needs, providing flexibility without requiring complex mechanisms
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple tools are used for tunneling and cable placement, then versatility is improved, but device complexity and procedural time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tunneler assembly is designed as a multi-functional tool that can perform both tissue piercing and cable pulling operations. The elongate lance with piercing ends can create passageways, and the same assembly can then be used to pull cables through the created tunnels, eliminating the need for separate lance and cable pulling tools
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functions are merged into a single integrated assembly. The handle, elongate lance, and cable adapter work together as one unit, allowing the clinician to perform tunneling and cable placement with a single tool rather than requiring multiple separate instruments
3Strength
If a screw mechanism is used to attach the handle to the lance, then connection strength is improved, but loss of time increases due to assembly duration
Solution Approach 1:
The time-consuming screw mechanism is extracted and replaced with a quick connector system. The handle attaches to the elongate lance through a simple bayonet-style connection that can be secured with a quarter-turn motion, providing sufficient strength without requiring multiple rotations or complex threading
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment process is rushed through by eliminating unnecessary steps. Instead of requiring multiple screw rotations, the quick connector allows the handle to be attached in a single swift motion, significantly reducing assembly time while maintaining adequate connection strength for the surgical procedure
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical tunneler assembly is used to pass a cable or other elongate member through the skin. A surgical tunneler may include a lance including a first segment, a second end segment, and a connector on each one of the first end segment and the second end segment. A cable adapter includes a lance connection portion and a cable connection portion. The lance connection portion engages and disengages the connectors. The cable connection portion engages and disengages a cable. A handle engages and disengages the lance.