Suspendable Organ Transplant Sleeve for Reduced Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in organ transplantation is the need to minimize organ handling while maintaining optimal chilling and protection from contamination, as excessive handling can lead to tissue damage and infection, and current methods are cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A disposable organ transplant sleeve system that holds the organ in place during surgery, allowing for reduced manual handling, precise positioning, and protection from contamination, featuring a connector mechanism for attachment to surgical frames, temperature sensors, and permeable designs to manage fluid and maintain organ viability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual handling of the organ is increased to facilitate positioning and suturing, then ease of operation is improved, but tissue damage and necrosis increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a container as an intermediary device between the surgeon and the organ. The container holds the organ during transport and surgery, allowing surgeons to manipulate the container rather than directly handling the organ. This mediator approach enables easy positioning and access while minimizing direct contact that could cause tissue damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the organ handling process into distinct phases: transport phase (organ in container on ice), surgical phase (container suspended above incision), and implantation phase (organ removed from container). This segmentation allows optimized handling for each phase, reducing overall manual manipulation damage.
2Ease of operation
If the organ is removed from chilled solution for manual handling, then ease of operation is improved, but temperature control and viability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The container is dynamically positioned - during transport it rests on ice for chilling, during surgery it is suspended above the incision using a clamp and rod system that allows adjustment of height and position. This dynamic positioning enables temperature control during transport while facilitating easy access during surgery without prolonged exposure to air.
Solution Approach 2:
The organ is pre-chilled in the container on ice before surgery begins. The container itself is prepared with chilling capability, so when the organ arrives at the surgical site, it is already at the appropriate temperature, eliminating the need for continuous temperature management during handling.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the surgical incision is made small to reduce trauma, then patient recovery is improved, but access for multiple surgeons and equipment is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system moves the organ from a horizontal placement on the patient's body to a vertical suspension above the incision using a rod and clamp system attached to the surgical frame. This dimensional change allows the organ to be positioned in three-dimensional space, improving accessibility for multiple surgeons working from different angles while maintaining a small incision size.
Solution Approach 2:
The container serves as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the need for a small incision and the need for good surgical access. By suspending the container above the incision, the organ becomes accessible to multiple surgeons without requiring a larger incision, as the container can be positioned and adjusted in space.
4Measurement precision
If the organ is held manually during suturing, then positioning precision is improved, but infection risk and handling damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container acts as a sterile intermediary that maintains precise organ positioning during suturing without requiring direct manual handling. The container can be held or suspended while the organ inside remains protected, allowing surgeons to work on the organ through openings in the container or by manipulating the container itself, thereby reducing infection risk while maintaining positioning precision.
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 system significantly reduces organ handling and infection risks, maintains organ viability through precise temperature control and fluid management, and simplifies the surgical process by minimizing equipment and handling, thus improving transplant efficiency and reducing post-operative complications.
Implementation Method 1
The container holds the organ and any desired chilling elements, such as an ice pack.
Implementation Method 2
The container may further include a permeable barrier
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to organ transplant systems used to keep organs chilled and viable as they are moved between patients. More specifically, the present invention both contains the organ and holds it in position during transplant surgery. Thus, there is no need for a member of the implant surgical team to hold the organ while it is being sewn into place.