Suturing Device Alternating Clamps for Needle Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Suturing in surgical procedures is time-consuming and tiring, especially in minimally invasive surgeries, due to the challenges of manipulating suture needles in limited spaces and the need for precise knot tying, which can lead to increased surgical time and strain on surgeons.
Innovation Solution
A suturing device with a handle that holds a suture needle at a fixed location, using alternating clamps to grip and release the needle, allowing surgeons to maintain precise control and ease of use, facilitating faster and more efficient suturing without the need for specialized needles or complex equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If standard suturing techniques are used with manual needle manipulation, then precise control over suture placement is achieved, but surgical time increases and surgeon strain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The suturing device divides the needle manipulation process into distinct phases using multiple clamps: a first clamp for grasping the needle proximal portion, a second clamp for grasping the distal portion, and a third clamp for knot tying. This segmentation allows each clamp to be optimized for its specific function and enables automated or assisted manipulation, reducing surgical time while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The device introduces intermediate clamp structures that mediate between the surgeon's manual operation and the needle manipulation. These clamps serve as mechanical intermediaries that can be actuated by various mechanisms (manual, robotic, or automated) to perform precise needle handling without requiring direct manual dexterity, thereby reducing surgical time while preserving control precision.
2Ease of operation
If multiple clamps are used to hold the needle at fixed locations, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs a universal handle mechanism that controls multiple clamps through a single actuation system. The handle can engage different clamps (first, second, and third clamps) in sequence through one continuous motion, allowing the same mechanical structure to perform multiple functions: grasping the needle at different locations, releasing clamps, and preparing for knot tying. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity despite having multiple clamps.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle operates through periodic cyclic motion that sequentially engages and disengages different clamps in a repeating pattern. Each cycle of handle actuation performs a specific sequence: first clamp engages, then releases to second clamp, then to third clamp, and back. This periodic action simplifies control by using a single repetitive motion to manage multiple clamps, reducing the complexity of coordinating multiple independent mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If specialized suturing needles are used, then ease of operation improves, but cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed to work with standard, off-the-shelf suturing needles while providing specialized functionality through its multi-clamp mechanism. The universal design allows the same device structure to handle various needle types and suture configurations without requiring specialized needles, thereby reducing cost and equipment complexity while maintaining ease of operation through automated or assisted needle manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The device enables self-service suturing by providing automated or assisted needle handling capabilities that reduce the need for surgeon skill and manual dexterity. The multi-clamp system can be actuated by simple handle movements or automated mechanisms, allowing the device to perform needle manipulation functions that would otherwise require extensive surgical expertise, thereby improving ease of operation without requiring specialized needles or complex equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
Improved medical suturing devices, systems, and methods may hold a suture needle at a fixed location relative to a handle of the device, allowing the surgeon to grasp and manipulate the handle of the suturing device to insert the needle through tissues in a manner analogous to use of a standard needle gripper. Cycling the handle from a closed position to an open position and back to the closed position may alternate the device between gripping the needle with a first clamp (for example, along a proximal portion of the needle) to gripping the needle with a second clamp (for example, along a distal portion of the needle) and optionally back to gripping with the first clamp, with the needle often staying at a substantially fixed location relative to the altering device body. Related single-clamp needle grasping devices can be bent plastically by a surgeon, and/or have bodies that are grasped by a hand while a portion of the hand actuates a handle.