Suture Magazine for Continuous Tissue Passing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing suture passer devices face difficulties in disengaging sutures from jaws and require frequent removal from the surgical site to load needles, making surgical procedures time-consuming and prone to errors.

Innovation Solution

A surgical instrument with a suture magazine and carrier system that allows sutures to be loaded onto a needle without removing the instrument from the body, using a suture magazine with retaining features and a carrier to manage sutures, enabling continuous suture passing through tissue without instrument removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional suture passer devices are used, then suture passing can be performed, but the instrument must be frequently removed from the body to load needles and disengage sutures, increasing procedural time and complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuture passing efficiencyVSAvoidprocedural time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The suture magazine is pre-loaded with multiple sutures before insertion into the body. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need to remove the instrument for loading sutures during the procedure, directly reducing procedural time and improving efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The suture magazine is nested within the jaw structure of the suture passer instrument. This integration allows the instrument to maintain continuous presence in the body while housing multiple sutures, eliminating repeated insertions and removals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of operation

If traditional suture passer devices are used, then suture passing can be performed, but frequent removal and reloading of the instrument increases procedural complexity and potential for errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuture loading easeVSAvoidinstrument handling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The suture magazine is designed as a separate, modular component that can be independently loaded with sutures and then attached to the jaw. This segmentation simplifies the loading process and reduces handling complexity compared to integrated designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The suture magazine acts as an intermediary component between the needle and the multiple sutures. It simplifies the interaction by providing a standardized interface for suture storage and retrieval, reducing the complexity of direct needle-suture manipulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If traditional suture passer devices are used, then basic suture passing can be achieved, but disengaging sutures from jaws is difficult and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuture disengagement easeVSAvoidtime for suture disengagement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The suture is extracted from the jaw structure through the suture magazine mechanism, which provides a dedicated pathway and features for clean separation. This extraction process is designed to be straightforward, reducing the time and difficulty of suture disengagement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The suture magazine incorporates features that automatically facilitate suture disengagement without requiring complex manual manipulation. The design includes self-releasing mechanisms that simplify the separation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3431015B1Surgical instrument for passing suture comprising a suture magazine
Publication Date: 2023.08.23 MEDOS INT SARL

AI summary

A surgical instrument for use in passing suture through tissue is provided that includes first and second jaws disposed on a distal end of an elongate shaft and configured to grasp tissue therebetween, and a needle selectively movable along a longitudinal channel extending through an outer side wall of the first jaw. The first jaw has a cavity configured to seat a removable and replaceable suture magazine. The suture magazine can be coupled to a suture magazine carrier that is removed before the surgical instrument is activated cause to the needle to advance distally and thereby pass a suture coupled thereto through tissue in a patient's body. As the needle is retracted proximally, a subsequent suture portion, such as a loop, is loaded onto the needle. The jaws remain in the body during passing the suture through the tissue.