Suture Transfer Tool for Transvaginal Uterine Artery Ligation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical methods for treating uterine fibroids often require invasive procedures, leading to excessive blood loss, prolonged recovery, and economic costs, and are typically performed by specialized interventional radiologists, limiting accessibility for patients.
Innovation Solution
A minimally invasive surgical system employing a suture transfer tool with pivotally joined jaws and suture transfer darts to ligate uterine arteries through a trans-vaginal approach, using two sutures to occlude the uterine arteries and their surrounding ligaments, allowing for temporary or permanent blockage of arterial blood flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional surgical methods are used to treat uterine fibroids, then complete removal of fibroids can be achieved, but invasive procedures cause excessive blood loss and prolonged recovery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the uterine artery from the pelvic cavity and brings it out through the vaginal wall to the external environment. This allows direct access to the artery for ligation without requiring abdominal or laparoscopic surgery, thereby reducing invasive procedures and blood loss while maintaining effective fibroid treatment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a suture transfer tool as an intermediary device to facilitate the ligation process. The tool includes a transfer dart that pierces tissue and a suture that is transferred through the uterine artery, enabling precise and controlled ligation with minimal invasive action
2Reliability
If specialized interventional radiologists perform uterine artery ligation, then treatment effectiveness is ensured, but patient accessibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables gynecologists to perform uterine artery ligation independently using a simplified transvaginal approach. The suture transfer tool is designed to be操作able by gynecologists without requiring specialized radiological training, making the procedure self-serviceable for general gynecological practitioners and significantly improving patient accessibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal procedure that can be performed by gynecologists for treating uterine fibroids. The transvaginal approach with suture transfer tool provides a multi-functional solution that combines diagnosis and treatment capabilities, eliminating the need for specialized radiologist intervention
3Loss of time
If minimally invasive trans-vaginal approach is used, then patient recovery is accelerated, but precise ligation of uterine arteries becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The suture transfer tool acts as a precise intermediary mechanism that guides the suture through the uterine artery with high accuracy. The transfer dart pierces the tissue at controlled locations, and the suture is transferred through the artery lumen, ensuring precise ligation even through the minimally invasive transvaginal approach
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical dissection and clamping mechanisms with a simpler suture transfer system. The suture is transferred through the artery lumen rather than requiring external clamping or ligation, providing precise internal ligation with minimal tissue trauma and faster recovery
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for ligating a uterine artery in a patient generally includes a suture transfer tool (40), suture transfer darts (60, 61), and one or more sutures (62, 64). The suture transfer tool includes an upper jaw (42) that is pivotally joined to a lower jaw (46). The lower jaw of the tool includes a number of suture capturing pins (54). The suture transfer darts are configured to be tissue piercing and are positionable within the suture capturing pins. Each end of the suture is connected to a suture transfer dart. When operating the tool, the suture transfer darts pierce through the tissue to either side of a patient's cardinal ligament, which contains the uterine artery, and simultaneously present an end of the suture to either side of the cardinal ligament. As such, the suture is in an open loop configuration about the cardinal ligament and can be tied tight to the ligament to occlude the uterine artery.