Telescoping Endoscope Shaft Length Adjustment for Stent Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical devices with predetermined shaft lengths often fail to be compatible with different treatment sites or auxiliary medical devices, leading to operational failures and increased development and inventory costs.

Innovation Solution

Devices with an adjustable effective working length, featuring a telescoping shaft and locking assembly, allowing the shaft to extend beyond the distal end of the working channel by a predetermined distance, compatible with various endoscope channels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a medical device is designed with a predetermined shaft length to reach certain treatment sites and be compatible with specific auxiliary medical devices, then the device can operate reliably with those specific configurations, but it cannot be used with other treatment sites or auxiliary medical devices, leading to increased development and inventory costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice compatibilityVSAvoidshaft length adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The shaft incorporates a telescoping mechanism with movable sections that allow the effective working length to be dynamically adjusted. The shaft can extend or retract to different lengths depending on the specific treatment site or auxiliary device being used, transforming a static predetermined length into a dynamic adjustable length while maintaining reliable operation across multiple configurations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The shaft length parameter is made variable through the telescoping mechanism, allowing the effective working length to be changed between minimum and maximum extensions. This parameter change enables the same device to adapt to different treatment sites and auxiliary medical devices without requiring multiple fixed-length versions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple alternative medical devices with different shaft lengths are designed to be compatible with different auxiliary medical devices, then compatibility across different devices is achieved, but development costs and inventory complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility rangeVSAvoidinventory management

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single medical device platform with a telescoping shaft is designed to perform multiple functions and be compatible with multiple types of auxiliary medical devices. The shaft can be adjusted to different lengths to work with various endoscopes and treatment sites, eliminating the need for multiple specialized devices and simplifying inventory management while maintaining broad compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Length of moving object

If the shaft extends too far distally out of the working channel, then the device can reach distant treatment sites, but the distal tip cannot be imaged with ultrasound and the device becomes inoperable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshaft extension distanceVSAvoidultrasound imaging capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The telescoping shaft allows dynamic adjustment of the extension distance, enabling the operator to extend the shaft to reach distant treatment sites while retracting it to keep the distal tip within the ultrasound imaging range of the endoscope, thus maintaining both reach and imaging capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The effective working length parameter of the shaft can be changed to optimize the balance between reaching treatment sites and maintaining ultrasound imaging capability. The shaft length is adjusted so the distal tip remains within the predetermined imaging range while still accessing distant targets

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If the shaft is made shorter to ensure ultrasound imaging capability, then the distal tip remains within imaging range, but the device cannot properly insert, place, and deliver instruments to distant treatment sites

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveultrasound imaging capabilityVSAvoidshaft length

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The telescoping mechanism enables the shaft to dynamically change length, allowing it to be extended to reach distant treatment sites for proper instrument delivery while being retractable to maintain ultrasound imaging capability during critical operations, thus resolving the conflict between length and imaging

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12507870B2Devices with an adjustable effective working shaft length

Publication Date: 2025.12.30 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to the field of medical devices. In particular, the present disclosure relates to devices with a shaft having an effective working length that is adjustable relative to a connector of the device and/or a working channel of an endoscope, and methods for their use, such as devices and methods for delivery of a stent.