Thin Needle Probe for Minimally Invasive Bone Surface Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical methods for bone interventions, such as implanting prostheses or drilling, face challenges in accurately recognizing the spatial position of bones due to limited visibility and tactile feedback through skin and muscle, leading to invasive procedures and potential inaccuracies.
Innovation Solution
A thin, long needle probe with a force sensor and position-determining means is used to penetrate soft tissue and detect the bone surface by measuring resistance changes, allowing for precise location determination without extensive exposure, utilizing a mechanical arm-type digitizer and signal processing to differentiate between tissue types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a thick steel probe is used to digitize the bone surface, then the probe can reach the bone surface through skin puncture, but the incision size must be large and patient trauma increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical palpation method with a force sensing system that uses a thin probe equipped with force sensors. The system substitutes manual tactile feedback with electronic force measurement, allowing the use of a much thinner probe (reducing incision size) while maintaining the ability to detect bone surface contact through force threshold detection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a thin probe is used to minimize invasiveness, then patient trauma is reduced, but the ability to accurately detect bone surface contact is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces force sensors as an intermediary between the thin probe and the bone surface. These sensors act as a mediator that amplifies and translates the subtle mechanical interaction between the thin probe tip and the bone surface into detectable electrical signals, enabling accurate detection despite the probe's minimal dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces reliance on the mechanical stiffness and tactile feedback of a thick probe with an electronic force sensing system. The force sensors mounted on the thin probe provide electronic feedback that compensates for the reduced mechanical properties, maintaining detection accuracy while minimizing invasiveness.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the skin is punctured to reduce incision size, then minimally invasive approach is achieved, but tactile feedback is compromised by skin and tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the compromised mechanical tactile feedback system with an electronic force sensing system. The force sensors directly measure the contact forces between the probe and bone surface, converting mechanical information into electrical signals that are not degraded by the intervening skin and soft tissues, thus preserving information quality while maintaining minimal invasiveness.
4Stability of the object's composition
If a thick probe is used for bone surface digitization, then structural stability is maintained, but the procedure becomes more invasive and recovery time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces force sensors as an intermediary that provides structural support and stability to the thin probe. The sensor assembly acts as a reinforcing element that maintains probe rigidity and positional stability during the digitization process, eliminating the need for a thick probe while ensuring procedural stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables minimally invasive bone surface detection with high precision, reducing patient trauma and improving surgical accuracy, as demonstrated by small standard deviations in experimental results.
Implementation Method 1
force-sensing means for sensing the force encountered by said tip of said needle
Data Source
AI summary
A device and a method are described for finding the location of a bone surface in patients or living animals by using a thin probe equipped with bone contacting detection functionality for a minimally invasive procedure.