Telescopic Surgical Retractor Frame for Narrow Hernia Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical retractors face challenges in providing efficient access to narrow operation sites, particularly in hernia operations, while ensuring minimal tissue damage, ease of handling, and suitability for sterilization, with a need for improved design and reduced handling steps.
Innovation Solution
A surgical retractor with telescopically interconnected corner members and a double-curve blade design, featuring locking mechanisms for adjustable frame positioning, allowing parallel expansion and retraction, and suitable for sterilization, with interchangeable blades for various surgical applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the surgical retractor uses hooks or blades of limited length for hernia operations, then the penetration depth into the body is reduced, but the ability to provide sufficient access to the operation site is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor is divided into multiple corner members that can be independently positioned and adjusted. Each corner member with its hook or blade can be optimally positioned to provide access to the operation site while maintaining limited penetration depth, thus segmenting the function across multiple points rather than relying on a single deep-penetrating structure
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor frame is designed to be extendable in multiple directions, allowing the corner members to be positioned at optimal distances from the incision. This multi-dimensional adjustability enables sufficient access to the operation site without requiring deep penetration, as the hooks/blades can reach laterally rather than deeply
2Adaptability or versatility
If the surgical retractor frame is made extendable to adapt to different patients, then the adaptability to various body types is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is segmented into multiple corner members connected by telescopic arms, allowing independent adjustment of each segment. This modular segmentation enables the frame to adapt to different patient sizes and incision locations without requiring a completely different device, while keeping each individual segment relatively simple in structure
Solution Approach 2:
The frame incorporates telescopic arms with locking mechanisms that allow dynamic adjustment between fixed and extended positions. This dynamic capability enables the same frame structure to adapt to various patient types by adjusting the arm lengths, rather than requiring multiple fixed-size frames
3Ease of operation
If the surgical retractor uses telescopically interconnected corner members with locking mechanisms, then the ease of adjustment is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism is segmented into discrete locking positions along the telescopic arms. This segmentation allows the corner members to be adjusted to predetermined positions and locked in place, simplifying the adjustment process while distributing the complexity across multiple discrete elements rather than a continuous complex mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanisms are designed to be self-locking at predetermined positions, requiring minimal operator intervention. Once the telescopic arm is extended to the desired length, the locking mechanism automatically secures it, reducing the complexity of continuous control while maintaining ease of adjustment to discrete positions
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical retractor comprises an even number of at least four fixed-angle corner members coupled in telescopic manner, each second corner member being of female configuration and adjoining two corner members of male configuration, wherein opposite sides of the surgical retractor run mutually in parallel with each other.