Suturing Device Sequential Anchor Release Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing suturing devices face challenges in securely releasing anchors one at a time during suturing operations, often requiring excessive force due to the absorption of disengagement sensations by flexible sheaths, leading to potential malfunctions such as simultaneous release of both anchors.
Innovation Solution
A suturing device with a hollow tip member, a wire for anchor release, a flexible tube, a parallel member for maintaining positional relationship, and an operating portion that restricts forward movement, allowing only the first anchor to be released by moving the wire until the parallel member is restricted, ensuring secure and controlled anchor release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the anchor is configured to engage with the needle more tightly to transfer the disengagement sense to the user, then the sense of disengagement is sufficiently transferred, but a greater force is required to release the engagement, which may cause two anchors to be released at a time
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the anchor release process into distinct stages using multiple needles (first needle, second needle) that release anchors sequentially. The first needle releases the first anchor, and the second needle releases the second anchor, preventing simultaneous release while maintaining tactile feedback through the flexible sheath
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible sheath acts as an intermediary that transmits the disengagement sensation from the anchor-needle interaction to the user's hand. This mediator allows the user to perceive anchor release without requiring excessive engagement force, resolving the contradiction between feedback transmission and controlled release
2Ease of operation
If the sheath is made flexible to allow anchor release movement, then the device is easier to operate, but the sense of disengagement is absorbed and attenuated by expansion and shrinkage of the sheath
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible sheath parameters (material properties, wall thickness, diameter) are optimized to provide sufficient flexibility for anchor release while maintaining adequate tactile feedback transmission. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and disengagement sensation
Data Source
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AI summary
A suturing device is disclosed which sutures a tissue using a suture unit having a suture thread with both ends fitted to a first anchor and a second anchor, respectively. The suturing device includes a hollow tip member receiving the first and second anchors; a wire having a front end inserted through the tip member so that the first and second anchors can be released out from the tip member; a flexible tube having a distal end integrally connected at a proximal end of the tip member, through which the wire is inserted so as to freely move forward and backward in the axial direction of the tube; a parallel member inserted through the tube so as to freely move forward and backward in the axial direction of the tube along with the wire; a relative position holding member fitted to the wire so as to hold constant a relative positional relationship between the wire and the parallel member; a forward movement restricting member provided on the tube or the tip member so as to restrict a forward movement of the parallel member; and an operating portion provided at a proximal end side of the wire and the parallel member so as to operate the wire and the parallel member. In a state in which the relative positional relationship between the wire and the parallel member is held constant by the relative position holding member, when the wire is moved in the forward direction until the forward movement of the parallel member is restricted by the forward movement restricting member, only the first anchor is released out from the tip member by the movement of the wire.